Unsigned & Independent (March 2015)

BLACK DELTA MOVEMENT THE TURNING WE WERE GIANTS TRAVIS OAKS DAVID KEENAN THE MANC TANK THE SCOUSE HOUSE

MARCH 2015

SYKES - 36 -

THE MANC TANK featuring FEEL THE KID

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& GLASS TIDE

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WE WERE GIANTS 5 6

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SCENE & HEARD 17-18 THE RUBY SESSIONS 19-20 THE FLUFFY NOISE 21-23 SAUCY SUNDAYS 24-34 35-56 57-61 62

IRISH ALBUMS/EP REVIEWS INTERNATIONAL ALBUMS/EP REVIEWS SINGLE REVIEWS MARCH 4x4

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PETER DORAN

U& I Mus ic Magazine 26 K ings Inn S treet Dublin 1 Editor-In-Chief: Phillip Ó’ Baoighealláin Deputy Editor: Greg Clifford Writing Staff: Eloise Cahill Gary Kavanagh Jamie Kelly Sean Brennan Liverpool Correspondent: Joe Loftus Manchester Correspondent: Dave Beech U&I Gigs Photographers: Eric Cooper Dom Marceleno

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EDITORIAL SYKES grace the cover of our March issue and they are a

It is safe to say that 2014 was a fantastic year and that there was a real sense of momentum behind everything you set out to do following how 2013 ended. The first thing that showed that sense of intent saw you go into the studio to begin recording the EP you released.

In terms of the recording process how much of the tracks were already formed pre-studio and how much of the creative process came about once you started to get down to it all?

Julia: Yeah 2014 was an awesome year for us – we're really excited about the way things are going and about releasing new music! Our ‘Gold Dust’ EP was a really special release for us because we'd written a bunch of new songs for it and also had a backlog of our old songs. In the end ‘Gold Dust’ was written two weeks before we went into the studio, whereas ‘I'd Do It Again’ was the oldest track on there.

Your single was mastered in February in Metropolis Studios.

Was that where you recorded the whole single or was it spread out among different locations over a set period of time?

Kristian: We recorded our single ‘Best Thing’ with a young producer called Martin Felix Kaczmarski. He's great. He had a really dynamic approach with the track and we worked quickly on it. The track was then mastered at Metropolis Studios. The whole process took a week including the mixing and mastering!

How long, overall, was the process as a whole – from the writing, recording and all the way through to getting it released?

J: We wrote the song in December, and we're releasing it mid-March.

That's a pretty quick turn around for us, which is great as it keeps the momentum going.

In terms of the song writing process and how that goes, how does the dynamic work for you as a band?

K: It's a pretty collaborative process within the band. Julia and I usually start the songs particularly on the melody and lyrics, and Will is great on arranging and music. It changes for every song though which keeps the process fresh. We've also collaborated recently on tracks which is good fun. We wrote ‘Best Thing’ with songwriter Benjamin Weaver.

Who else was recorded in the process for you from the production side of things and what did they bring to the mix?

J: In the end it was just us in the recording process. Martin was great to work with and input loads on how the sound ended up progressing on the track.

You also played some impressive gigs in May. There was Ronnie Scott’s (a venue you had played before in 2012) and there was the gig at the 100 Club being two high profile gigs that stand out. How did it feel to be going back to play at Ronnie Scott’s again?

William: Yeah that was quite a while ago, but it's always great to back there – it is such an awesome venue! Last week we played at Islington Assembly Hall which was another amazing experience!

In relation to The 100 Club, there is a great photo of you at the venue and the wall is adorned in graffiti for all of the bands who had played there. When you look around and start reading the names of the footsteps you follow in terms of gracing that same stage how does that make you feel?

J: It's always a pleasure to play stages like The 100 Club that amazing acts have played on, because you can really feel the energy in those rooms!

In between that there was the video that you recorded with Hollie Harrington for ‘Gold Dust’. How important is video for you as a creative medium and are you the kind of band who can see the intrinsic value that it has in the modern age as a platform for getting your music out there?

K: The video process is almost as important as the writing process.

It's the visual that goes with the music, and we spend a

lot of time trying to get the right vibe that matches the song. Since we're unsigned and funding everything ourselves it means we need to be really creative on a budget. But videos are how a lot people enjoy music nowadays so it's a big part of the whole package.

J: We've known Chaz and Kal for a few years now, through playing shows and they're good friends and even better musicians! We knew we wanted the whole night to be special so we were honoured to have them open the show for us and knew they'd get the crowd warmed up.

The video is pretty cool as well. Were you involved in the creative process or did you just let Hollie do her thing because you trusted her as an artist in her own right?

W: They are both so talented, check them out!

W: Thanks! We all worked on the concept – we're very much hands on when it comes to all our videos. Hollie did a great job of bringing it to life though!

You also filmed two tracks for Naked Noise in a church. So how do you find the process of making a video in comparison to getting up on stage and cutting loose live? Do you have a preference out of the two?

J: That was a really fun day! It's certainly different to play in a stage formation without a crowd, but hopefully our energy still translated across. First time playing at a church! Felt really loud...probably a bit too loud...

In June you released your first single off the new EP. That was ‘Gold Dust’ on June 14th.

When you wrote that song did you immediately sense that it had the potential to be a single or was it a case of it feeling right after it had been finished in the studio?

K: That song was written about 2 weeks before we went into the studio. It was a bit of a risk to record it in the first place, as generally speaking we always love the last song we write – but it won't necessarily be the best! Plus we hadn't gigged it so it can be hard to tell whether it's a good song or not.

J: We had a really good feeling about it though and when Cam listened to it he really wanted to produce it, so we went for it and luckily it turned out great!

You recorded the video back in April and then released the single two months later. From the outside looking in it would appear that you carefully planned the launch of the single by having everything in place for it. Would it be safe to make that call?

J: Yeah it's really important to have all your ducks in line before releasing anything. The video takes a lot of time so we're always really aware of timing, and want to make sure that when it's out we have content to back it up. For some reason it always ends up being a rush though!

It would appear to have worked too because it was picked by a lot of important radio shows – Jen Long and Tom Robinson being two that spring to mind. Were you pleased that it was so well received?

W: We were thrilled to get those plays! Jen Long was our first BBC Radio 1 play so we were really excited about it being played nationwide.

You are also a band that plays the London circuit an incredible amount. How hard has it been for you to become established and recognised on the London music scene? How important is it for you as a band to be recognised for your music over everything else?

J: I'm not sure how recognisable we are yet, but we've certainly played the London circuit and met lots of interesting people along the way. Nowadays we try to play shows a little further apart but strive to make sure each show is more special than the last – whether it's our performance, songs, venues etc.

K: Being recognised for our music is what we're about really, we wouldn't know any other way!

Your EP launch gig was a sold out affair in The Social.

Supporting you on the night was Kal Lavelle and Chaz Thorgood. Did knowing how good they are as live performers, as well as the fact that you are on good terms with one another, take some of the pressure off you on the night or did it add to it in a good way knowing you were on after they had played?

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Having released the EP last year are there any plans for any other releases this year?

K: Yes! Our single ‘Best Thing’ comes out on the 16th of this month.

We're really proud of it and can't wait for people to hear it. We will also have new music video to accompany it too!

Huw Stephens was at that gig too and he was impressed by what he heard also because he played your track on his show soon after. When you start getting attention from the right people at BBC with your songs getting airplay it must come as a tremendous confidence boost. Apart from that, what else motivates you as a band?

J: Things like that are really great for us, it's definitely reassuring – we were really please Huw Stephens came to the show and enjoyed it.

Our main motivation is to do music full time, travel, play lots of shows, meet new people and write good songs How did you come to form Sykes? Were you in any bands previously and, if so, what has that experience brought to this band?

K: We all did music related things at school, but met at Uni. Julia and I met within the first couple of months and clicked straight away.

We've been writing together ever since, and we've been in bands together throughout Uni with different line ups. Will was in another band at Uni at the time, and we were all friends. We all joined forces when we made the move to London and the rest is history!

J: I think all our musical experiences have made us who we are today as musicians!

Another gig you played was Nightmare on Camden St in November. That was a festival with 100 bands on the bill.

Given that it was so late in the year and not during the ‘traditional’ festival season, would it be a fair reflection of the healthy state that the music scene in London has to offer?

W: Absolutely! London has such a great music scene, there's so much talent here - we're proud to be a part of it. It was a really fun festival to play.

On the subject of the London music scene would there be any venue or festival that you would hold a soft spot for and why?

J: I think in the future, our ideal gig would be to someday play at Brixton O2 Academy! It's such an amazing venue, and the sound is insane. We just need to get enough people to come out and party with us.

So far this year there are tours playing support to Andrew McMahon and Kodaline. Will there be any plans for a tour of your own during 2015?

K: We did the Andrew tour last week and it was incredible. It's the first time we really ventured outside of London and we played some really cool venues. he crowds were awesome, really responsive – and Andrew was such a pleasure to go on tour with.

J: We're obviously really looking forward to the Kodaline shows, they are great guys too and should be an awesome crowd so we can't wait.

W: We have a single launch for Best Thing on the 30th March at The Old Blue Last, and more shows to be announced soon.

J: Thanks for having us Unsigned And Independent!

http://sykes.bandcamp.com https://www.facebook.com/sykesmusic

WE WERE GIANTS It is all finally coming together for this Dublin band who formed back in 2011. They first came to our attention with their excellent debut EP ‘Part One’ back in 2012. From hearing that we could see that they had an incredible amount of potential and now, almost three years later, it would appear that they are ready to step up to the plate and embrace the next level for them as a band. We caught up with frontman Colm O’Loughlin to talk about the music, festivals in Wales and touring abroad among other things. Here is what he had to say: Let’s start with the music. In June last year you went in to the studio to begin recording your album. How far along into the process as a whole is the band with the record now?

The album is recorded, so now it’s just a case of settling on mixes, which has been the most time consuming part of it.

Eventually we’re going to have to draw a line over them but not until we have something we’re happy enough to stand over and release. Once that’s done it’s just a case of getting it out at the right time.

Who has been involved with the production side of things?

Stuart Gray has been giving the songs that little polish they deserve. He owns Jealoustown Studios in Dunshaughlin.

We’ve been working with him for years. It only seemed right to go back and do the album with him. He’s got a great set of ears and we just work really well together. It has very much been a collaborative effort.

In terms of how the music is sounding with the new material is there a significant departure from how ‘Part One’ sounded or can you see some similarities between the two coming across?

There’s no doubt that the songs on ‘Part One’ still sound like We Were Giants today but the newer songs have a lot more dynamic in them. We love to build songs and take people by surprise. Myself and Ste have a really poor attention span. It’s like we have this dial next to us in the rehearsal room that we keep cranking and cranking as the song goes on. Every new song that pops its head into the room is pushed to the max to get the best out of it.

Last year saw ‘Hey You’ and ‘All I Want’ released. Will they be included on the new album?

They’ll both make an appearance on the album along with some rerecorded favourites from ‘Part One’ we thought we’d do justice by giving them the big production treatment.

Are there any other crowd favourites that people will be pleased to hear have made the final track listing?

Our next single, ‘River’ is a big, big track. I’m really looking forward to getting that in front of people. But I think out of everything on there, ‘This Is It’ is probably the one people will be eager to hear. It’s probably one of our biggest live songs.

We’ve been quite nervous about recording it. Like it only took us about ten years to write.

When is it going to be released?

We plan to release an EP in April ahead of the album and look to drop the album later in the year. We’re ready to go…it’s just all about timing now.

One of the main things coming up on the immediate horizon is Focus Wales in April. This is the second year that you have played at it so you must have made the right impression last year. Are you looking forward to playing there again this year?

Yeah, Focus Wales was a real eye-opener for us last year. We learned so much from the bands there and the various workshops they had. It put a lot of things into perspective for us. The plan to record the album came off the back of that festival last year. We can’t wait to get over there again this year and hopefully extend our trip a little longer with other shows in the UK. It seemed that last year’s festival was one of those high points of the year for the band by all accounts. I know that they say what happens on tour stays in tour but what were the highlights for you from it last year?

I don’t think we got up to much mischief. Danny was learning Welsh to try chat up some of the girls over there only to realise none of them actual spoke Welsh. Ste went skinny dipping around Sellafield on the way back to the Ferry. We stole his clothes. I remember the first night we went out to check out some of the bands and the first place we walked into saw some girl on stage playing dance tunes off her Gameboy and some lad dressed as a rabbit dancing around the room to the set. It was so random, quite worrying but still really really good.

You are going to be supporting a very promising Leeds band that we are familiar with here at U&I called Allusondrugs. In terms of the other acts on the bill, is there anyone in particular that you are looking forward to seeing?

We were hoping to catch our good friends Doppelganger while we were over there but they play on the Wednesday night and we don’t arrive until the Friday. The Membranes are playing on the Thursday night too but we’ll miss them.

But just like last year we just look forward to stumbling across new music, making friends and hopefully sorting out some tours with them.

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In terms of touring, you are a band that has toured extensively outside of Ireland. With the new material being released are there any plans for similar tours, be it Ireland or abroad, to promote that?

Hopefully we can extend our trip to Wales out to promote the EP a bit but regardless there’s definitely a plan to go back to the UK and mainland Europe this year. We’re currently reaching out to promoters and booking agencies to help build quite a large tour around Europe for us. We also confirmed our first Irish festival this year at Vantastival so we’re all really looking forward to that and anything that goes with it.

Your gig in The Mercantile at the beginning of last month for the single launch went down extremely well. Were you expecting the turnout that you received on the night?

We were and still are completely overwhelmed by the number of people that came out to see us. If we compare it to our last show it was like chalk and cheese. How that number of people even knew we existed was probably the most inspiring thing we’ve encountered as a band to date. It has really focused our efforts on being bigger and better each time we play and we’re really looking forward to the next one.

You had Alex Smyth and Fallen Lights both play support on the night. Who are they and why did you have them both playing support for you?

Alex is a friend of ours from Swords. We’re currently working with him on his debut EP. He plays instrumental music on guitar and it’s just something different and refreshing to see at a gig. He’s only going to get better the more he gets to play, which we are really liking being a part of. Fallen Lights are probably the nicest band you will ever meet. We met them in Mullingar and ever since have been chomping at the chance to play with them in Dublin. They have a new EP coming out real soon. It’s gonna be great.

You also played at Whelan’s Ones To Watch in January. That is a really impressive gig to be asked to play because the standard of artists who play is so high. Was there anyone you managed to catch at it that impressed you?

We got to see Heroes in Hiding. It was very nostalgic seeing them play. We used to play with them a good bit when we were younger and it’s great to see them doing so well. New Secret Weapon were another band we got to see. Some of the stuff they play is just so slick and their vocalist Griff has such an amazing voice.

What is up next for the band?

Prepare the EP, finish the album and take over the world.

TRAVIS OAKS are one of the best bands that can currently be found playing on the Irish unsigned circuit and they have recently returned from a brief tour of Scotland. In addition to that the band released their eagerly awaited debut EP last year to rave reviews and it seems that there is a great deal of momentum with the band. We caught up with frontman Mike, Aran and Killian to talk about everything that is going on with the band at the moment and a few other things.

Here’s what they had to sayThings have been on an upward curve for you June of last year. The first thing that stands out is winning the support slot for The Hot Sprockets at their album launch in June. That was a big deal because it was a slot that a lot of good bands tried to get, so to come out on top of the pile was a big deal. How did it feel at the time?

Mike: It was phenomenal. I only saw the Sprockets for the first time in November, and was a huge fan since, so to have them even like the song was a huge deal! And then getting to find out first-hand what a sound bunch of lads they are. We owe them a lot.

Aran: We were over the moon. It was and still is one of our favourite gigs we have ever played, there was just something special about that night, and like Mike said there just lovely lads and it was a pleasure to support them.

Killian: It was incredible news, the lads are legends and a great band so the chance to share the stage with them was a great feeling.

Taran: It felt deadly to know that those guys who we look up to were impressed by our stuff and wanted us to play with them! Meeting them was one of the coolest things ever. Now every time we see them at a festival or at a gig, we end up having the craic with them! Class dudes.

Taran: It’s a cool song to play live, especially because of the double guitar solo...we did imagine playing it live when we put the cover together, but winning the competition was a surprise!

Having been a band that has been working away on the Dublin music scene for some time, since September things have moved up a significant gear for you all. The first thing that stands out for us is the video for ‘Last Love Song’. Let’s talk about the concept for the video. It has these hints of ‘Doomsday’ and ‘Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome’ vibes to it with the nihilist tribe in the video. Given that it all comes together excellently when you see the finished article, how did the initial concept come about? Who was involved behind the camera in directing it all?

Mike: The entire concept was created by Luke Sweetman, of Little Beast films. We basically gave him a budget (which was not very large) and he created something amazing around. The design and costumes were all done by Kate Moylan. Again, we really owe them a lot for the amazing job they did.

Taran: Yeah Luke just turned up to our rehearsal one day with this mad post-apocalyptic tribal thing, and we were just like, yeah, cool! People approach us sometimes telling us how freaky the video is... I love it!

That is also a track that comes across as one that you always get behind as a band when you perform it live. Did you know as soon as you finished writing it, and during the writing process, that it was going to be one of those songs that would have that magic ingredient that great songs have?

Mike: No it was almost completely the opposite. It was a song we loved playing, but never really thought people would get as attached to it as they did.

Your version of ‘Bad Jim’ became a staple of your live set for a while. Did you imagine that happening at the time when you entered the competition?

Aran: Same here, there is just this simplicity in it that gives it its anger and ‘fuck you’ attitude. I loved it but didn't really know how well it would be received by the people listening to it.

Mike: It's actually less of a staple now, but it's great to be able to whip it out on special occasions, or any time one of the Sprockets is in the crowd, which has happened a few times now!

Then you released your debut EP in November and everyone got behind it. In our opinion it lived up to the hype and it made our best of 2014 Irish EP list (coming in at a respectable 3 overall). How long were you recording it and where did you record? Are there any plans for any further releases this year?

Aran: We love rocking this out, but yeah, we like to save it for those occasions. It is nice to have it lying in wait ready to pounce on the unknowing public!

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Mike: We recorded with NuMu Productions, and Barry Murphy produced and mixed it. It took a long time, start to finish. Almost 9 months recording to release, but everyone wanted to take the time to make sure it was done right. We have some things in the pipeline, hopefully coming very soon...

January was also a very productive month for you in terms of gigs. You played at Whelan’s Ones To Watch. There is always a high standard of live music at that one. Was there anyone that you saw play at it that made you sit up and take notice?

Mike: We only saw the Friday night, which is when we played. For me the best was definitely Elastic Sleep.

Aran: For me it was Christian Collins, he usually plays by himself singer/songwriter style, but he had a full band backing him this time around and they blew me away. From start to finish I was left with Goosebumps.

You also played Dimestore Recordings that month. We caught you playing at that gig and we were at it with some friends of ours from New York who were extremely impressed by what you guys can do on stage. As a live band what do you guys get most out of playing before a crowd?

Taran: Yeah that was such a cool gig! We've played Dimestore a good few times now, but that was definitely the best one so far! Great crowd.

Aran: We like to feed off of the crowd, if the crowd are getting into it we will go mental, but having said that, we do go a bit mental as well. We love playing music anyway and if the crowd are loving it that is just the icing on the cake for us. Seeing the audience feed of your music and hearing their applause at the end of a song is the greatest feeling in the world!

Killian: We make the music that we love, and seeing other people get the same kick out of it as we do is one the biggest motivators to create and explore music.

Mike: Getting the energy off a crowd that's moving and getting into the music. There's nothing worse than a crowd that just stands there clearly disliking your set. Everyone has their own way of enjoying a live show but we love those who can move with the music.

Are there are any gigs that you have played over the years that still stand out for you?

Mike: Our first Knockanstockan last year was really special. The sun splitting the stones, and some of my best mates in front of me.

Aran: Supporting The Strypes, was just insane! One of the best nights of my life! The place was packed…we had it hopping and just rocked the fuck out! And then, we got to enjoy a two hour set from The Strypes! A night never to be forgotten!

When you look back at your first gig to how you click into gear how much of a progression is there in terms of the band dynamics now?

Mike: Well we're odd because we started as a three piece, and then brought Taran in. But since he joined we're a different band. Our band dynamic is evolving all the time, both on-stage, and off. No two shows are ever alike, and neither are two practice or writing sessions.

Aran: It’s so true, were constantly evolving, getting tighter, and better all the time. I enjoyed playing as a three piece but now with Taran, it’s a whole other ball game! We are four best friends making music we love together...things couldn't be better!

Taran: When I started playing with the lads it was weird, 'cause i didn't really know them, and I felt like "the new guy" but now it's like I've known them forever and we treat each other as brothers, onstage and offstage too. The music has come so far since this time last year.

You toured Scotland last month. How did that all come about?

Killian: It was a week full of new experience's and it was also the longest we've been forced to constantly put up with each other, and we actually seem to get along quite well, so more touring is definitely on the to-do list.

Taran: Yeah I can't believe someone didn't get killed, lost or kidnapped. We were stuck in this little Fiat Punto 90% of the tour, sleeping in hostels, meeting weird but cool people, drinking Scottish beer and we actually managed to put up with each other.

I know that the saying goes ‘what happens on tour stays on tour’, but how did the gigs go over there?

Aran: It was a great experience! Every gig has its own story and was its own adventure. Edinburgh was my personal favourite because the place was packed and rocking! It was such a cool venue too which made it a special night!

Taran: The gigs were awesome. I almost broke my foot one night jumping off the stage. That says a lot!

Mike: They were all fun. Some of the venues were incredible, a bit better than the average Irish venue, it must be said.

We have very close links with our Scottish network so we know all about how healthy the music scene is over there at present. In terms of playing to an audience over there what similarities are there to playing here?

And in what ways do things differ?

Mike: We played with Altered Sky, a band from Glasgow during the summer. It was organised by a young lad from back in Cavan called Killian Ginnity.

Altered Sky's manager kept in touch with our manager, and they asked us if we'd like to join them on tour.

Killian: We plan to return the favour soon and get them back to Ireland.

There is an added charm to being on the road that doesn’t necessarily come with turning up for a gig. Is that a statement that you would agree with? If so in what way do you agree with that?

Mike: The gigs were only a tiny morsel of the overall experience. From the people we met, to the places we saw, it was all incredible.

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Mike: Some of the fans we met were quite passionate, but overall I couldn't really find much differences between the two to be honest.

Aran: People who love bands, people who love live music, they will always go to gigs. It’s all the same but just another piece of land to do it on. The only difference is in some places there are more of these beautiful people to go to your show!

What were the venues like over there?

Mike: As I said, generally the standard was very high.

Some of the coolest venues I've played yet.

Aran: The venues were class. In particular the P.A's were of a really highly quality. The quality of the sound on stage was also constantly very good, which is vital in putting on the best show you can.

Are there are any plans to do another tour?

Mike: Yep. We've a few options, hopefully before summer...but nothing is confirmed just yet.

You have been announced for the line-up at Vantastival this year. What else is in store for you?

Mike: New Valley Wolves Album launch in April should be a fairly rocking affair.

Aran: Yeah can't wait for that show! They are our brothers in arms. We have played many a great gig with those lads so it’s always something to look forward to when we are going to be playing alongside them!

After reading Chris Parke’s blog two years ago you decided that you were going to head to Liverpool. It obviously had a profound effect on you. What was it that you read or what was it in the blog that inspired you to make that move?

First off the title “Diaries of a Rock n Dole Star”. I related to that being on a FAS course at the time. Secondly the whole picture it painted of a place. I could see myself being at total ease there with the opportunity to gig every night and truly learn my craft by soaking it all up.

How long after you read it did you weigh it all up and decide that you were going to go for it?

I spent a couple of days afterwards reading it over and over again, after that it was a matter of weeks the fact that I was immersed in The La’s and their ethos helped too.

Obviously whatever it was spoke to you as a musician and it ignited something in you that was defining for you. How long has music been a big thing in your life?

It’s always been there as far back as I can remember. As in I’d like to think I had an ear for it early on. But the writing came first. I had a little blue notepad I used to scribble in blue skies and green fields etc. You have to start somewhere I suppose.

It wasn’t a decision that you made lightly and you were in Liverpool for quite some time. How long were you there for and how do you describe the experience now when you look back up on it? How did you find that you grew as an artist from that period in your life?

I was there for the whole summer of 2013 and it went by so fast because of what was happening. I was meeting and playing with Idols of mine ex La’s, The Real People. The friends I made where all in top bands and I learned so much from the like of Jimmy & The Revolvers, Alistair Said, David Gaffney etc.

When you surround yourself with top class songwriters like these you can’t help but up your game. It has had a huge impact on me I’ve said before it was the first time I felt plugged in to a place.

You still have string ties with a lot of people that you met over there. What do you make of the recent closure of The Lomax?

I do I was back gigging over there just before Christmas. Knowing everyone involved in The Lomax it’s hard to watch the situation unfold as I’m not there I’m not entirely clued in as to what’s going on. All I can say is that Frank and Joanne Hedges provide a space there to facilitate self-expression through music and they are the most accommodating and welcoming people I had the pleasure to know while there. The Lomax is a family and it will never die regardless of cloudy police accusations it will live on “All Day…” As you were growing up who were the artists that you listened to?

As a young fella my uncle got me into the likes of Dylan, Cohen, The Band, Van Morrison and Jeff Buckley. Those wordsmith’s had a profound impact on me the way they spun words and the rhythm of the whole thing. Jeff Buckley’s voice haunted me. I love anything with soul- James Brown, Captain Beefheart, and roots/blues kinda vibes. Irish music is a massive influence on me too with Kelly, Drew, Brady, Furey. National Treasures. Brendan Behan is a big influence too.

Now that you are a musician and writing your own material what is it that your own songs are about?

I can’t explain the process of writing in any way. It just flows naturally when it wants to.

I’d like to think my music is all about imagery and painting pictures with words. The muse of my hometown is always there especially in my early stuff…Dundalk has a real beauty about it.

There’s a message there too in every song it’s a matter of digging a bit deeper.

A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks which has seen your profile raised considerably. Did you think that when you recorded ‘El Paso’ in Maxi’s taxi that it would become the phenomenon it now is?

Not at all I suppose it shows the power of the internet it’s actually scary the power it has. But I genuinely thought it might get me a few local gigs and be an introduction to my music. From the reaction I’ve got from people abroad who have been in touch the song is very relatable especially the Diaspora thinking about home.

When you look back at everything that it has been the catalyst for how much of a shot in the arm has it been for you on a professional level?

It’s opened doors for me and it’s all a brilliant learning curve. I’m taking each thing as it comes and letting it play out naturally. I’m not getting carried away with anything. I’m just overwhelmed and uplifted by all the support and can’t wait to get the new songs out there.

For those people who don’t know you or your music that well, it was a song that you played on a few occasions or around select people. So in a way it was a bit of a private affair in that regard. But now it is something that a lot of people are getting into and picking up on. How does that feel to you when you see it being so well received?

It hasn’t seen the light of day apart from those occasions in years because I’ve written so much and my music has changed so much in the mean time. But it’s given the song a new lease of life and the fact that people have taken a shine to it is fantastic. It’s got that chant kind of vibe to it which comes in handy at a get together.

It is a song that in some ways is an ode to Dundalk and why it is home to you. On a personal level what does the song mean to you?

It’s about being away from home or a feeling of security in the place you love. That’s why I think so many Irish abroad can relate to it. It’ll always be a very personal song for me being the first real one I ever wrote.

It has also seen you get exposure on RTÉ.

You also recorded two songs with Joe.ie as part of The Sunday Sessions. Then there was also the interview with The Dundalk Democrat. But probably the highlight has to be going in to record the track in Westland Studios, which is where Hozier, Miley Cyrus and a long list of very credible names have recorded.

How did it feel knowing that so many big names had been there and you were following in their footsteps?

opportunities so when the chance comes along you get the head down and focus on the music that’s the most important thing at the end of the day everything else is secondary.

Do you know when the video is going to be released and will that coincide with a single release?

There’s no dates set in stone as it’s all about getting it right. The video and the song will be released within the next month with some local gigs first to coincide.

You recorded some new material in November with ‘Stop The Traffic’ and ‘Red Brick House’. Are there any plans for a release at some stage in 2015 with a single or an EP? The priority is to record as much as possible because of the backlog of songs I have it’s essential I get the tunes out for my own sanity.

Hopefully this process gives me the opportunity to do as much as possible as soon as possible.

For those people on the outside looking in there is a misconception that all of the exposure you are getting is now putting the Dundalk music scene on the map.

That is far from it being the case. If anything there is a thriving music scene in Dundalk, and the north of the country, which has been on-going for some time.

In addition to The Spirit Store as a music venue there are plenty of additional supports and promoters giving the music scene and artists an incredible level of support. We would list Dundalk FM as one of those, alongside Border Region TV (BRTV) with Helena Ní Mhaoláin Mullins andPaul Cox with Cavan TV. How much would you agree with that statement?

I’d say that’s only an opinion of people who wouldn’t follow the music scene closely. The Dundalk music scene has been and is thriving.

If the attention that I’m getting is in any way promoting other Dundalk artists it can only be a good thing. I’d rival it against any town/city in Ireland.

Another support that exists is Echo Road Records that you and Damien Meehan are involved in. Tell us about that and what you are hoping to achieve from it.

It was set up after I came back from Liverpool because we thought there was something lacking in the scene. Alongside Dundalk fm’s The First Cut we’ve put on some great gigs and some great things have come out of it. It’s a banner to unite under and it facilitates great music.

Those supports are reflective of the way the music scene is thriving in the north of the country. You played with local band Permanent Déjà Vu at their album launch. Are there are any other artists that people should be checking out who you would recommend?

As I said it’s thriving here the likes of The Rollers, Richard Richard, Yellers, Anton & Stephanie Orwell’s 84. Songwriters like Sean McKenna and Patrick Carolan… the list goes on. I’ve probably left a few out there. It’s an endless well of creativity and I’m proud to be part of it.

When you take a step back from it all does it seem a bit surreal in a way?

What else is in the pipeline for 2015?

It’s totally surreal. It comes back in dribs and drabs and hits me between the eyes. I’m naturally laid back so that helps and growing up starting out you dream of getting these

Releasing the songs alongside the videos. And just hitting the road again to see where this adventure leads. I’m a vessel for the music and it will take me where it wants to go.

-8-

Our Friends In The North part 1 Last year we ran a successful series of interviews that all had the central theme of focussing on our music network in France called The French Connection. We are going to focus a new feature over the next couple of issues that will concentrate on highlighting the music scene in the north of the country. Over the coming months we will have interviews with artists, promoters and other people who are integral to supporting the music at a local level.

This month kicks it all off with Dundalk’s David Keenan who talks about the music, Liverpool and of course, ‘El Paso’ itself.

David Keenan -9-

WE WERE GIANTS The north of the country is where some of the most promising acts on the Irish music scene are emerging from. Cavan has seen The Whereabouts, Aine Cahill and The Strypes come to prominence in recent times, while in Dundalk we recently attended the launch of Echo Road Records. That pool of talent is not just concentrated to those two towns. Across the border in Derry things are also showing a great deal of promise. Along with acts such as Soak, THE TURNING are also doing their part to put the city on the music map. Here is what they had to say: We’ll start with how the band got together. That was back in 2013 when Luke was in London.

Did you intentionally head to London with the sole purpose of getting into the music scene there or was it something that happened purely by chance?

Yeah well I was coming to play a solo gig, for our now manager Rob, and the other three who had been in a band a few years before wanted a new singer so they came along and decided they'd have me.

In April 2013 you released your first single. That is almost two years ago exactly and then you followed that up with ‘Stand Clear Of My Mind’ in September of that year. How important was it for you as a band to get your material recorded, mastered and released as quickly as that? Were you surprised that you got things turned around in such a short space of time or was it a case of them being songs you had previously and they just came together with the right band?

Well initially we probably felt we needed to get some music out there to be able to get gigs and build an online following which was important. I don't think we were surprised it happened so quickly because we had spent a lot of time in the practice room and yeah they were songs Dave had anyway (except Magazine Street which was written by Dave and Luke) so it was just a matter of running through them with the band and getting them sounding as good as we could of at that time.

In terms of your sound do you see yourselves as a Mod band?

Coming from Derry, at the moment there is a rich vein of musicians in the north of Ireland. Take The Whereabouts, The Strypes and Aine Cahill to name but a few, it would seem that there is an apparent explosion of talent concentrated on that part of the country at the moment. What do you attribute that all to?

We certainly take influence from some of the mod bands musically and fashion-wise but I don't think we are very strict about all that stuff. We like all types of music and take influence from lots of things so I wouldn't really call us a mod band.

I'm not sure. I think people have a better chance because the focus is on Irish music…because of bands like The Strypes and Soak.

There is probably too many to mention...the main influences would be bands like The Beatles (of course), Arctic Monkeys, The Stone Roses, a bit of The Smiths…any sort of credible guitar pop. There’s literally so many though it's very hard to narrow it down to a few names.

We have been in Derry and have seen first-hand how good the music scene is there. Granted it is small in comparison with other cities on account of venues, but in terms of being an artist from Derry how would you view the city’s current scene?

Well to be honest the music scene is not as good as it was, when I was just coming on to the scene at the age of 12/13 I was playing underage gigs in the nerve centre that were sold out every week. Then I ended up running gigs along with Brian Fisher who ran the packed out 'Practice Makes Perfect' gigs. Since then the scene has gotten smaller, although it has nothing to do with lack of artist because the talent in Derry is second to none, with the likes of Soak, coming from the city.

The city and its music scene is not something that should be as easily discounted as some people would initially think. It was the City Of Culture in 2013 and that brought with it a great deal of attention for the music scene from the BBC et al. When you take the artists that have come from Derry – The Undertones for example – how much of a legacy is there for musicians to grow up with?

There is a legacy to grow up with. The Undertones for me mostly, my first gig and having seen them countless times after, but there's other artists, like one of my all-time favourite singer songwriters Declan McLaughlin, who has been about the scene for years, and toured countless countries. You don't have to look far to see there is a rich legacy of music in Derry.

Who would be the main influences on you as a band?

With your single releases, an EP and an album already released that is an impressive level of output for any band to put out inside a two year period, let alone a band that are only starting off. How soon after the band got together did the whole song writing process begin? Are there any plans for future releases in 2015?

I (Dave) have been writing for a few years now so songs were always about (some better than others I must add) but I guess you just have to keep persevering with it and hope that you get to the good ones. We hope to get another single out in the spring of this year - we are off to Dublin to some demos at the beginning of March so let’s see how that goes hey?

You have played with The Strypes in Liverpool, which has been part of a rather extensive period for you of being on the road. Yet you also come across as a band that is very comfortable with being on tour. It seems to see you be in your element in a lot of ways. What does touring tend to bring out in you as a band that you can’t create in the dynamic sense from being in a studio?

The best thing is you get to play the songs to people and see reactions and it gives you a good insight into which ones are the better ones. The other great thing about touring is you become tighter as a band on and off stage which is obviously an important element of being in a band.

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Is there anything about it that takes you away from your comfort zone that you are able to identify with and build on?

I think we all just enjoy getting out the house and playing shows and hanging out and meeting new people...there's no real complaints about gigging.

Amid all of the touring last year you managed to release the video for ‘Settle For That’. It is a very simple concept but one that is highly effective for the tune. Who directed that?

That was directed by Steve Graham, he's a cool dude.

Part of the touring has seen you take in the UK. But also Spain, France and Ireland have been places you have visited and played. One of the key things that has helped your profile in France has been your appearances on MG TV in Paris. Some bands have commented to us before that they find the environment very different to playing before a live crowd because you don’t necessarily have that same level of vibrancy to feed off when you play live. Is there any part of that statement that you would agree with as a band from your own experiences now?

Yeah TV is a weird one because a lot of drama goes into what essentially is two minutes on stage but it was a great experience and fun to do. Once you're playing it’s a bit weird because you have to look at cameras as opposed to people which is a bit weird but other than that it's good fun and of course great for publicity!

In what ways, if any, do you find that being in front of a TV audience differs from being in a live show setting?

People are often sat down which is a bit boring and they are not necessarily into your music but you just have to go on and do your thing and hope people enjoy it.

Having played Dublin for the first time at Retro Revival in January this year, what did you make of our unsigned music scene? Will there be any plans to return here to play again?

Dublin is great - we love the city anyway! We had been there a few times prior to playing because our manager is from there. The gig (Retro Revival) at Sweeney’s was great. There was a really good turnout and people seemed to enjoy the show so we can't really ask for much more than that. We are back in Dublin in the beginning of March to do some recording and hopefully we can get back before too long for another gig.

What lies ahead for the band for the rest of 2015?

We hopefully should be gigging a lot more throughout the coming moments and hopefully should be doing a few festivals in the summer which is quite exciting. Like we said earlier, we hope to get another track out in the spring which we are looking forward to doing and then just keep grinding it out and getting the word out there.

THE BLACK DELTA MOVEMENT are one of those bands that you hear an immediately you realise that this is what music is meant to be about. Our Newcastle co-op brought them to our attention last year and the people who were excited about them are the people who know how to spot a good band before anyone else. Over the last 12 months things have certainly put them in the spotlight for all the right reasons and this looks to continue in 2015. We caught up with MATT BURR from the band to talk about the hull music scene, the band, a small matter of supporting The Jesus And Mary Chain and playing at Alan McGee’s Creation Sessions in Liverpool. Here is what he had to say One of the great things that you have going for you as band is how distinct your music seems to come across.

How would you describe your music if you had to sum it up?

Thanks! I suppose the best way of summing us up is heavy garage rock’n’roll with an element of psych thrown in there.

The icing on the cake for 2013 was when signed with Ruby Music in December 2013. Did the timing of that provide you with the impetus for hitting the ground running last year?

Being signed definitely made a lot of people take us more seriously, yeah. It certainly helped boost our profile and promotion not to mention our band morale having a massive boost too!

You are a band from Hull and first came to our attention via our Newcastle co-op. The reports we got back were incredibly positive from the people we know over there on the local music scene. Everything that we heard meant we had to sit up and find out what you are about and from what we have seen it seems that the hype is certainly justified. How exactly did you get together as a band?

That’s very kind of you, thank you! We formed just as mine and Dom’s previous bands had split up – I happened to go to the pub one night when I was bone-broke and run into Dom. We had a good chat about wanting to start a new band and then a week or so later we were rehearsing! We’ve had a couple of line-up changes since then, Liam joined in 2012 and Jacob joined last May just before our Manchester Psych Fest show.

As we mentioned, you are a band from Hull. At the moment the local music scene in the North East of the UK is one that is thriving. What venues would be favourites for the band to play there? Are there any other local bands/artists on the unsigned circuit that would stand out for you?

In Hull we have some excellent venues – naturally we love The New Adelphi Club but our other two favourites are Fruit and

The Polar Bear. The Lamp was great too but sadly it’s shut down now, we had a lot of history there.

If you turn the clock back a full twelve months this time last year you were recording the video for ‘Blister’ and last month you played at Alan McGee’s Creation Sessions at Liverpool District. By all accounts that has been a gig that went down well with everyone who was in attendance. What do you attribute to being the key moments over the last year that helped to get you there?

We played a hell of a lot of shows last year so that definitely helped our stagecraft a lot. Our shows at The Holy Trinity Church in Hull, Manchester Psych Fest and Hull City Hall with The Stranglers were some of my favourites but there are so many to mention. Humber Street Sesh and Hull Trinity Festival were great shows for us and for me personally, supporting Drenge was big as well since I’m a big fan of theirs.

The video for ‘Blister’ is something that you could call a trippy affair, but it is in the same mould as your video for ‘Sleeping Pill’. Did you work with the same director on both?

We actually worked with two separate producers for each video – both are fantastic at what they do! When I met with Josh Moore about the ‘Blister’ video I fired a load of ideas at him and he gave some great advice on what would look the best etc. Both were quite different processes as well which was cool.

‘Sleeping Pill’ was also picked up on by Huw Stephens.

When you get attention from people like that it can be one of two things for a band – it can be a distraction or it can be a motivation. How does getting the right kind of attention for your music have as an effect on you as a band?

We try not to let it get to our heads too much – that’s not to say we don’t get excited, we just don’t want it to cloud our vision.

We’re really lucky to have been listened to by some great people and had some amazing experiences and as soon as that goes to our heads it’s game over. We just want our music to be heard by as many people as possible!

In terms of how those videos look and sound, who were the influences on the band musically?

We’ve got a lot of influences, when the band started our main influences were The Black Angels, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club but as it’s gone on we’ve found new bands, styles and ideas that have contributed to the music in a big way.

One of the big influences on you was Kim Fowley and you released a cover of ‘The Trip’ last year. How big of an influence was he on you all? He recently passed away so how much of a loss has that been on you to lose one of your heroes?

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He was such a fantastic record producer, when you really look into his back catalogue and his history it’s fascinating to see how much he actually worked on and I don’t think he gets the recognition he deserves sometimes. It was a massive compliment for him to say he liked our version of ‘The Trip’, I just hope he got his copy of the vinyl before he passed away.

As we just mentioned, you recently played at Creation Sessions. There was a very impressive line-up on the night too – Mz Moxy, Shakedown Stockholm and Adriana Spina. So you were in very good company.

What did you make of the other acts who were playing on the night?

All the acts were brilliant! We really enjoyed them and it was nice to be playing alongside such great people too.

The live reviews and reports from the gig have all spoken favourably about how well you performed on the night. Looking back in it now, where does that gig rate for you?

It was a great venue! It really does make a big difference to have a good sized stage to play on too. We feel like we can settle in a bit more when we have some space to move around in. It was a good show to kick the year off with along with our gig with Jefferson Starship three days before!

You have been in Liverpool to play before when you performed at Zanzibar. We have been involved with some local nights in the city too and reviewed them in the magazine. As an outsider what do you make of the standard of local artists in the city and the music scene there in general?

My friend lived in Liverpool for four years so I used to come over to stay with him quite often – it’s a great city with an excellent musical heritage. I’ve seen some really great acts there and some of the venues I’ve been to have been top notch as well. The Coral are one of my favourite bands so big thanks to Liverpool for them.

You are also supporting The Jesus And Mary Chain this year. How much are you looking forward to that gig and what can their fans expect?

To say we’re excited is an understatement! It’s a huge opportunity to be playing with such a prestigious band at one of our favourite venues. I’ve seen some of my favourite bands there such as BRMC, Eels, The Coral, The Dead Weather amongst others so to be able to finally play on that stage is huge for us. I hope their fans dig what we do.

What else is in store for 2015?

We have a lot of irons in the fire, we’re just waiting to finalise some plans and announce others – we’ll definitely be working on another release in the near future and hopefully be touring extensively as well. It’s shaping up to be a big year.

THE MANC TANK

by Dave Beech

FEEL THE KID

There must be something in Manchester's water of late, as both the bands I'm featuring in this issue seem to have undergone quite an impressive change over the last few months. With each act stepping up their respective games and refining their respective sounds, you can expect to hear and see a lot of more from both of them over the coming months.

Whilst their sound may once have been rough, ready and indebted to the folk musicians of yesteryear, Manchester's Feed The Kid have not just plugged in their guitars, but refined their sound in such a way as to completely reinvent themselves. And it's just as well they have.

Whilst the band's earlier recordings certainly gained the attention of local media, it's their new found blues 'n' roll that's likely to take them from Manc darlings to go on to become national names.

branching out from beneath Manchester's boughs in order to do so.

Fortunately for them, it seems they won't have long to wait. With the recent release of their single 'Red River', not to mention having recently been added to this year's Kendal Calling line-up, it really does seem that everything is coming up Milhouse.

If Feed the Kid are the personification of swagger, then their latest single ‘Red River’ is, naturally, the aural embodiment. Three minutes of sleaze-soaked rock ‘n’ roll, entrenched in the genre’s bluesy origins and packing ’60s-inspired vocal harmonies make ‘Red River’ both timely and timeless, setting the bar high for whatevers next!

Now, with their eyes to the future and a sound that's at once both heavier and ballsier than anything they've released before, Feed The Kid are looking to spread their wings and their name and are

Though their name holds connotations of both transparency and fragility, Glass Tides are surprisingly a band which harbours neither.

Having left behind the rousing and atmospheric contemporary folk of their debut EP, in favour of a much grittier, weightier sound, they're a band ready to grab the British indie scene by the balls.

With their single 'Black Knight Satellite' recently released, it's clear that this wasn't just a standard release from the band, more of a statement of intent that would have, in lesser bands, hinted at a maturity, yet Glass Tides have always held a maturity beyond their relatively youthful years. Such a statement signals not a maturity but a refusal to bay to the confines of a single aesthetic, instead fusing together traditional rock conventions, channelling the sounds of the early ’70s with acerbic garage rock in favour of the more contemporary folk fancies of their debut.

Those familiar with Glass Tides already might be a little surprised by the sudden change in direction, but that's not to say it won't be a pleasant surprise. And such a change in direction will, just as it has for Feed the Kid, open up many more doors for the band.

GLASS TIDES - 12 -

by Joe Loftus

White Canvas (live at The Capstone Theatre)

They opened up with ‘Tiny Acorns’ and in the words of the bands pianist, 'tiny acorns grow into big oak trees'... If it were any other genre this would be the definition of complexity - early Genesis or Colosseum ii, but for Jazz this was that accessible stem I needed to cling onto.

‘Tiny Acorns’ is a magical flying carpet that can take any man, woman or child to their euphoric destination. For a man that knows little about this music I was lost and in a trance. I was left waiting to see Neal Cassady sharing a beer with Dean Moriarty - both lost in this saddening brilliance. The drums were unfaultable. Beats unknown to the average music listener. Timing that you didn't know existed. Like a pacemaker

by Joe Loftus

Jazz was a genre I rarely listened to; but jazz was something I always wanted to be listening to. Bustling through city streets at night of Harlem, Prenzlauer Berg and Montparnasse; that is what I think of when I think of jazz. Darkness - near blackness. Sleepless and endless nights in little café's and bars where beer flows and cigarettes light and jazz plays eternally. I imagine the low hush of talk in Havana after-hour joints. Two am, three am, four am and so on and so on. Distant languages of foreign shores are mere whispers in the blackness as Miles kisses chaotically his tunes. I also think of the chaos. Of Chet Baker having the shit kicked out of him after being dragged out of a car and onto the pavement. Losing his teeth and the ability to play trumpet. I also think of his death. How he fell from that hotel window in Amsterdam intoxicated beyond compare. I then think of Eric Dolphy, Charles Mingus, Davis, Coltrane and Charlie Parker... and Kerouac.

accident and the unavoidable death that follows. But so were the keys and the guitar and the bass. 'These guys know how to play', I roared inside my swaying head. I am reminded of Dire Straits, Bill Evans and EST but Colosseum ii mostly. ‘Tiny Acorns’ took me out of The Capstone and placed me into a West of Ireland field. Laying down in the warm spring time - the time of growth and of rebirth. ‘Tiny Acorns’ is biblical in its music. Its crescendo and downfall. So I am laying in this desolate field of beauty watching life spurt in growth around me.

Alien trees, flowers and animals as the sun beats down. But before long all is ruined and abused and penetrated. Darkness falls accompanied by its sister of sadness. The earth is corrupted. Dystopia. But steadily and gradually the field is fixed and rebuilt back to the state of melancholic beauty it once held beforehand. Of course everybody's interpretation of music is different and with no drugs within my system, and only a couple of sips of dark lager - I wasn't intoxicated, just enlightened.

When the moment arose for me to see White Canvas at Liverpool's International Jazz Festival I pounced at the opportunity. A time had come for me to broaden my virginal horizons and see this captivating and inventive genre for what it really is. So I boarded the train, the Capstone Theatre my stop.

It was hardly a J.P Donleavy boozer but it had a definite and fitting touch of class that I wasn't yet suited to given my previous selection of gigs at the likes of the EVAS and The Lomax, God rest its dormant soul.

But I can't complain; jeez this is the International Jazz Festival not a shady Chicago speakeasy. There was a familial crowd filling the room but not in the conventional sense. Sure there were brothers and sisters and fathers and mothers but the atmosphere I witnessed was far deeper. It was as if we were all bound by a sense of awe and excitement.

An unbreakable bond formed by, and for, White Canvas. I bought myself a Sam Adams and waited like Estragon for showtime. 'I love Sam Adams', I thought as I sipped.

Following a fair applause the band went on and performed the melodious ‘While I'm Away/The Way Home’, but it was the song after that caught my eye more so. ‘In 3/4 GD’. A reflective and appreciative waltz. The pianist, Barry Dallman, announced prior to the first chords being strung that this song was written for his father - a man who stood amongst us in this sea of admiration seemingly proud. Upon the climax of ‘In 3/4 GD’, White Canvas went onto perform ‘Stay Beautiful’. I can't imagine who this song was written for but what I do know is if you were to play it in any restaurant or bar or café in all the world, or in any film or TV show or play, its listeners would be caught entirely, one by one, momentarily captivated by its genius. The piano is endlessly sweet and divine and precise. Every note is hit on spot to the second before the keys are replaced with Andy Hulmes harmonious guitar. This counterpart is also flawless. It is clean. It is structured. It is jazz.

After another couple of mouthfuls the band walked on stage. I couldn't help but notice the pianist. A great Dostoevsky-an character in appearance - a thick and distinct wiry beard draping down to his jacket; grey. Although the room was light, he seemed almost black and white but colour broke free when his fingers graced the Steinway... Jesus wept.

However all instruments through ‘Stay Beautiful’ and the final song of the afternoon, ‘Steppin Out’, reflect more than just music. More than just jazz. They all do their job in portraying the ever changing moods of musicians and of people. Those who fill the richest hotel rooms and those who spend their nights huddled up under cardboard in doorways.

Their sounds and notes, although written, seem forever changing to fit the atmosphere of all the jazz halls in the world. White Canvas could play to an audience of a million, but they would have the same effect on that million, as they would to an audience of one. A lone ranger smoking and drinking in some dim lit room in some dim lit town.

Blinded by the brilliance of White Canvas. It is all very filmic. I think of ashtrays and New Wave. Jean Luc Goddard and Francois Truffaut.

Jean Paul Belmondo in ‘Au Bout De Souffle’. 'This really is something new', I think and think again as I listen to White Canvas. I think of Thundercat and Antoine Doinel. Sakamoto and Meursault. Charlie Byrd and Andreas.

White Canvas truly are unmissable.

This is what I have been waiting for. And then they dispersed from the stage one by one. I tipped my hat to the foursome and turned away from the shadows inside the Capstone. I brushed past one particular shade who was stood by the door. She was distant and isolated and didn't quite know who I was; but then I was out again and swallowed up by that same old familiar city with its street lights burning down on

Photo by Ian D Hall

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New York

BABY ALPACA This hip New York artist conveys a telling sense of smart indie sensibilities and marries them to a stirring pop eccentricity. The charged feel of his voice is a striking quality that conjures up comparisons with David Byrne. But the innovation showing in his work comes through on an air of comparative sophistication which carefully constructs his music in a brilliant manner each time.

YOUNG UNKOWNS A great band to discover who create a landscape of telling excellence in the purified touches which flood through in the music. The deadened calling of the vocals floats across. Hints of Stevie Nicks are imbued in the performance each time which turn you on to the band in the right way, but the feverish way that they adhere to the knowing indie credibility is a very becoming trait which their music owes a great deal to.

CARDIKNOX Here is another act that embraces the graceful calling of EDM and produce stunning tunes time after time. The knowing way that their approach catches an almost perfect balance between retro and innovation is projected in a sharp way. This is a consistent trait that imbues everything with a heightened sense of creativity which falls into place by design in a way that also catches things on the right side of mainstream appeal and moves accordingly.

EX COPS With their undeniable level of chic this duo manages to convey a deliberate sense of class each them through the music. That is conveyed in a way that brilliantly carries a charm offensive that locks in on the sophisticated qualities they have in abundance. All of this imbues their sound with a notoriety that has a relative countenance each time that adds a noted sense of true distinction on an artistic level.

BEAST PATROL With their undeniable level of ability, this band procures a softness of touch in their approach each time that befits their music. A lavish affair at times, while at others a conclusive showing of true definition, there exists a level of artistry to what they can process and project artistically. In how that anything to chance.

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DREAMERS From how this Brooklyn band gets down to business you pick up on the sense of cool that is also carefully constructed. Honing in on a fanciful calling in the sharp delivery each imbues everything with a noted degree of concentrated energy that is carried across in a focused way that corners a steely sense of resilience as it is all pieced together. The pitch in the projection of their sound also exudes an undeniable air of confidence that tellingly builds their music in a very giving way.

EVA AND HER VIRGINS Taking an approach that revels in Goth rock sensibilities before turning the genre on its head sees this dark electro-pop band stand out from being labelled as contemporary. Their live shows are gathering a fierce reputation and the high octane charge is also evident in how their sound comes full circle. The underground and disassociated verification is noted in the hardened drive of the sound that fluctuates in a way that steadily holds everything together as it all comes to pass.

FOLDING LEGS Taking a heightened alternative approach and bringing a balanced post-disco feel to their sound draws you to this band for all the right reasons. The attractive way things are processed carefully considers the lightness of touch, but the correct emphasis is also prioritised towards developing that structured calling in a way that also allows their innovation be at the fore alongside their music.

MANICAN PARTY When you hear them play for the first time you are blown away. On a second listen you wonder where they have been all your life. An eclectic duo highly capable of processing those contemporary qualities in a polished way, but it is the endearing way that they stay true to their own musical sensibilities that sees the music toil away with such an acceptable standard built into the DNA here.

SHARKMUFFIN As a result of this punk band being unafraid of stepping up to the plate there is a glorious revelry to their sound that carries through with a telling presence and weight in the sound. So raw and edgy is the cut that you get caught up in the moment each time. How it hits is important and landed with a knowing degree of specificity that cuts to the chase in a shapely way each time.

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THE RUBY SESSIONS Doyle’s Bar (3-3-2015)

SETH ALTON It is always a really solid night of live music at The Ruby Sessions but this week saw a high standard from all four acts involved. They were rightly rewarded by being afforded the opportunity to play to a full house. Making his bow tonight was Seth Alton. Falling in to place with a pristine sense of accuracy was his first sing ‘In Your Palm’. From the delicate handling of the delivery you are moved. Then confirming that is the deft touch of his vocals which filters through contently.

This imbues his delivery in a hopeful way and gives his performance a sense of ease that comfortably fits alongside this approach. With his second song ‘Mad Monk’ a noted Neil Young vibe comes to pass. This is a highly attractive trait. It gives it all a heartfelt aspect that has a somewhat cheeky notoriety to it all that meets well with the tangible qualities that qualify the appreciation here.

Having only finished writing it that day, ‘Stage Time’ didn’t show any ring rustiness. If anything it was a highly prepared effort that called finely upon the pursed residency. This is also interesting in how it gets a darker calling from how it is chased down. That allows the context become a leaner affair of high merit which holds intimately. His last song also calls upon a Neil Young comparison in the right places. That relative showing on ‘Dark Lord’ is highly effective and the lyrics convey vivid imagery. In that high quality you sense the projection as it convincingly comes forth.

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PETER DORAN

Having just finished a successful tour of Germany, Peter Doran was next to take the stage. He is always an artist that we have time for here at U&I and as soon as he opened with ‘Moon’ it was apparent why.

The virtue of his voice is implicit here and adds an ethereal quality. He celebrates that in his performance here in a deeply elective way that brings it all through.

Holding the audience in the palm of his hand here, the master was well and truly at work. Taken into account the backstory of ‘The World Is Wide’ brings a nonchalant appreciation to his performance that is very advantageous to the showing of the tune. The romance of the song takes effect in a token way here which is confirmed from the savoury parlance of his voice. It is so neat and tender, but in its own right it adds an ardent maturity that sits ever so well.

Provisionally titled ‘Playground’, his third song was a new offering that he wrote recently in Germany. There is a gifted calling about this one. Placing that at the fore allows the contentment to be motioned through slowly. Yet in contrast to this is a hardened showing which balances a resilience with the masterful display here. His final song was another gorgeous effort called ‘Always Kind’. There is an astute dedication in the observations here which plays like an ode somewhat.

This has a majesty in the worth and how it adds to the brilliance leaves you hanging one very word he plays.

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CRY MONSTER CRY Having reviewed their album in this month’s issue, we were pleased to see this band playing live again. They are very much a hard working band who got started with ‘As Long As You’re Left To Carry On’. There is something influential in the way that the delicate qualities are considered. This finely captured in the essence of their acoustic set, which is a stripped down version of what is the norm for them. Yet they lose nothing from doing so. They then hold onto that approach with ‘Atlas’. What is expended in the paternal feel is rather inviting. The rhythm is fluid enough and washes over the delivery in a telling way. That is neatly urgent and carefully considered.

A big number on their album is ‘Starling’ and here it is stripped back. Yet the delivery was well received and held in a relative way throughout. There is an apparent intricacy that builds it freely from the ground up. That in turn adds something clever to the weight that quantifies how it all comes to pass. The best in the band is brought forth with ‘postcards’. Not only is it a fine tune but it is an effort to make you fall in love with the band for. The strength of depth on this is hospitable and at the core is a wonderful sense of emancipation which comes to pass as it all cuts loose. The sedate nature is considered in an impeccable way but the true excellence abounds in how it is all brought through.

Up next from the band is their album launch gig on March 16th in Whelan’s.

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The final band of the night was Orchid Collective and they opened with a warm and becoming number called ‘Lay As Stone’. The bereft feel of the lyrics and how they come through owes a great deal to the thoughtful way the arrangement is laid out. This is rather sleight in a knowing way and this telling modifies how it is developed. After that comes ‘I Waited On The Sun’. The exactness to the build shines through. It is a classy effort and the emphatic sense of the triumphant shows in the live here. The urgency collecting from the three acoustic guitars more than sets out the resolute here.

ORCHID COLLECTIVE - 18 -

Third track ‘The Wind Blows’ travels well. There is a sincerity called upon that holds a telling sense of accountability. That is an identity that is retained in the closeness. Doing so ordains the finesse but also corners the intricate qualities in an elaborate way which holds it together. The band’s new single closed things for them. With ‘Figure It Out’ there is something in the breakdown which does just that. That understanding is mirrored in the way that the approach is softly guided in. This seeps through and the underrated approach works exceptionally well from the off.

THE FLUFFY NOISE The Mezz (2-3-2015)

EMMA O’REILLY Our travels this week took us to The Mezz on Monday evening for the launch of The Fluffy Noise, which is a new club night being run by Una Mae Cahill. Tonight was all about three very good acts showing what they are all about as live performers and they did not disappoint.

It was a fine reflection of the healthy music scene in Dublin at the same time. The first of the three was Emma O’Reilly and the acoustic setting of her show suited the style when it came to ‘Mad’ that comfortably showed in the way it is tailored. That dandy quality is tidied away in all aspects but confirmed with the reasoned showing of her voice. Then the urgency rushes in with a noted sense of measurement with ‘This Isn’t Over’. It holds a developed sense of reach that pushes it all out. Yet the even feel of the structure also seems to add to the way it falls into place here.

She is an artist that is rather comfortable playing to a crowd and this is underlined by the deliberate sense of comfort provided from the poise of ‘Little Boy Blue’. The lyrics softly pursue the passive side of everything here. In doing so they give everything a bespoke presence which captivates her showing as the link up of the harmonies collects.

Her second song written on a ukulele was ‘Count’ and here it does just that. The timid nature cleverly suits the way that the structure touches out. Here she manages to capture something in the essence of her performance which fortifies everything with the token level of sophistication on show. The lead song off her EP ‘Purge’ closed out things from her. The strong pull of the acoustic elements in ‘Winter’ have a sharp and mindful collection about them that completes everything in a sweet way. That contends rather well with the stark calling contended with in the lyrics by adding a knowing sense of determination. How this picks up is greatly enhanced by her vocal range which steps out in sync to mirror the delivery.

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SLEEP MECHANICAL

A drummer wearing a bowling hat and a onesie is always going to get your attention unless you know that there is a droog convention in town. That observation aside the calling of the band’s opening song ‘Hey’ screams artistic integrity. Jazz qualities in the drumming and sax also land curtly yet they have the good sense to allow them to hang back. In doing so this all picks up and feels gritty. This is quite a good edge and the music is amply laid on to process this smartly.

They then follow it with a more progressive showing with ‘Toy Soldier’/ The contemporary fashion of it is framed in a way which gives it a noted sense of departure. You feel the bass and lead guitar feed in here. This is morose yet it has a contented groove about it here which cleverly collects. That blurring of the lines is what gives it a noted sense of departure.

Occupying a sense of fulfilment is the shoegazer friendly ‘The Hut’.

This is threaded through reliantly. It is exceptional. How that in turn drags across the rhythm gives a deserved underground kitsch. It is their next sing ‘Plans’ that really stands out. There is a Belle & Sebastian hubris to it all that comes across comfortably numb. That clever meeting is squarely down to how the minimalist concepts at work focus everything. The able sense of expression that carries it all off steadily charges the running gives the band a distinct identity. It shows in the music and they build on it by isolating the withdrawn showing in a rich way. Exploring things further is ‘Ketamine’. The patient development of their sound guides it through. Floating the texture through is eventual for it all here and the placid calling is brilliantly gauged. Adding an additional grace here is the shared vocals, but it would still be superb without them.

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In some ways the opening is questionable, but when the comparative builds you see how good ‘Dropped’ actually is. The more latent qualities show and this is a tune that is highly divisive on account of the aspects that could be considered out of place. Bringing a befitting sense of resolve to everything is ‘I Know I Look High’ and this is pitched in a credible way. Things then revert back to the style of their opening track with the vocals from the drummer adding a nice touch.

Select in terms of tone it is the saxophone that tellingly stirs the delivery on this. They ride in on a wave if Lo-Fi meeting No Wave with ‘Kong’. This gives the sound a prone feel that carefully gauges the effort as a whole. The lift in the right sections comes back down and lands neatly. Hints of John Zorn notoriety are fixed to it here as much as there is a New York CBGB vibe. It is highly artistic and they really go with it. Two covers closed their set out, the first by Bonobo and the second was ‘Where Is My Mind’ by The Pixies which really lit up in a big way.

A band that are very much going to be on everyone’s radar in 2015 is Radio Room. With a eagerly awaited album currently ready for release there were a lot of people here to see them this evening.

They charged into it head on with ‘Skin Touch’. The resolute and direct calling to this keeps hold in a noted way. That showing furnishes everything as the rhythm drops in and out, but it channels a focus as well. The arcs also seem to envelop it all in a highly engaging way. They then confirm their notoriety with ‘What You Heard’. This has a deadened feel that busies itself with the progressive side but does so in an elective way. With the hard gild and edge about the intensity of the performance seeing them go all out in the right way live. They bring a heavier showing to bear with ‘About You’. How the playing is laid on here harness the alternative reach. There is a feeling of constraint on show but the fluidity of the bass and rhythm guitar allow it to run in a persistent way that exudes class.

Ably gathering the underground identity in their sound is ‘Just Like This’. Here it is a strained vitality which imbues it with deftness. Seizing upon this allows a reliant leaning on the rock side to collect and shows. Hints of lay indie also cross over on this one, but the broad sense of scope busies everything sweetly. Braced by the togetherness in the way it is all exacted is ‘Shrug’. That deliberation is what carries the impact here. Adding appreciation is the inward retreat if the vocals which gift the delivery an accuracy that shifts everything notably in the right direction. Their final two songs ‘Maybe Her Too’ and ‘Curtain Call’ are both impeccable offerings. There are similarities to them both which make them hard to set apart. Here they played one into the other without missing a beat and the fantastic weight of both songs carries across with true vigour. One to watch out for in 2015 surely, especially in light of the fact they have been working on their album with Steve Albini.

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RADIO ROOM

SAUCY SUNDAYS The Grand Social (1-3-2015)

KEVIN CASEY With an upcoming gig on March 26th in this very same venue that will be more of a homecoming, this was something of a warm up gig which got underway with a cover of ‘Dancing In The Dark’. After that Bruce Springsteen classic came his upcoming single ‘I Was Wrong’. Here the wanton sweetness billows out in the writing that denotes a well thought out effort. The emotion is neatly held as it all comes to pass. From that there is a reasoned cut that comes through with a considered showing in the weight that backs up the rhythm. A political song followed in ‘West Wing Tales’ and then comes around to be something that goes beyond that. That is confirmed by the passive conserve on show. As a long player there is a lot of expectation on a vocal level but none of it goes astray. There is also an admiration for the tidy tumble of the guitar work here.

Getting its first live showing was ‘The Bones Of Mary’. This calls upon the object of affection in his deceased niece. And as such she provides inspiration as his muse for the song in the abundant showing of the tempo. This is eased across and avoids being over dramatic or being overwhelmed at the same time. To close out he played ‘I’ll Be Back Someday’. Something specific is called from how this neatly falls into place. That viable assertiveness is positioned centrally to the delivery. The reflections in the lyrics complete it and prove an attractive quality that draws upon the shared sentiment in the process.

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REDWOODS

There is an upbeat projection managed in the showing of ‘Home’ which is accompanied by a knowing joie-de-vivre that adds a noted charm. It loses something in a slight way from this approach in terms of consistency but the shoot the breeze feel resolutely harnesses some of that charm in a noted way that allows the progression to cut to the chase. ‘Who I Am’ sees the band call upon a rock calling.

With the inspired east coast America feeling brought to bear smartly from the tracking of the tempo it is all kept in focus. The catchy lyrical hooks and dynamics also add to the stage presence considerably well. The second track off their current EP ‘I’ll See You Again’ has a distinct air of confidence in the running. That lean showing in the vocals narrows the reach. It notably builds upon all of this to hold in an affirmed way. Provisionally what is in the showing here is noted for all the right reasons.

The band’s first release then got a play. ‘Nowhere To Hide’ has supple hints of Elvis Costello about it. From the meander in the tempo to how the bridge builds with a good showing of weight behind it, there was something leveraged in the live delivery on this one that was quite attractive. You also sense that is was always designed to be such a neat and catchy affair before it ever left the studio. They then get down to business with ‘I Wanna Go’. There is a credible check to the pace before it all picks up in a grand way. What is gradual about this one adds a noted necessitation to make it the good number it comes to be. In the saunter of the beat there is a telling sophistication called upon from how the bat saunters along with the edgy feel. This is what gives it a smooth around the edges feel as the vibrancy is locked in. With their closing number ‘Drowning The Water’ seeing them bring a noted sense of ambition the overall way it operates is laid out explicitly. That fills out into a broader opening which then falls away. It adds a niche appeal that comes to pass in the ska touches.

But overall it hardens the resolve in how it nicely holds.

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ROSS BREEN An artist that we always have time for was the next performer here this evening at The Grand Social. In his own right he is excellent but with a full band behind him he is just incredible. That is confirmed by the powerful showing of ‘Life Support’. The tight rhythm has a notoriety to it all which adds purpose and it is a solid opening track. Immediately your attention is drawn to the stage to watch and your gaze is held from start to finish. His intuition as a musician is grasped with how ‘Blood And Bones, Water And Dust’ comprises the knowing feel of the intro and eases into the performance off the back if it all. That confirmed maturity is fed by the opening line. You also feel his confidence permeate and in the makings here is a superb offering that leaves you hanging on every aspect. Another redeeming number then followed with ‘When I Met The Devil’. The intelligent showing of the lyrics leaves nothing to chance. It is well versed but what seals in the sedate qualities is carefully bargained with. Coupled with the handling here allows the resolve to richly fortify every facet of the showing in an exceptionally relative way.

Sweeping number ‘On Three’ effectively turns in the solitary calling of the piano into something that is soothing and viable. The vocals hold on it in a way that provides it with a balanced sense of release from what they relay in the process. Coming across in a similar vein is ‘One Last Kiss’. Here the intimate calling gently brings it all through and it is a peaceful quality as well, yet the purpose is there to be found. The stationary quality of the rhythm adds some sophistication that is a captive worth prevailing on all fronts. Perfectly balancing the heart of the song is ‘Hope’. With his performance here this travels alongside the considered poise in a stellar way. From the inclusion of this song he also diversifies his set. That remedial feel gives up a great deal and everything is noted that little bit further from the endeavour and rewarded accordingly. His last song ‘Best Laid Plans’ is a song to fall in love with. How it moves clearly answers a calling on an inspired level. The tasteful way that the steady climb rises in the compact motion is a glorious quality that helps to carry it all through. It bodes extremely well and closes his set with a high standard that left the crowd wanting more.

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THE RIVER FANE

This next band was playing their first gig after a three year hiatus. The lingering softness of ‘Fence’ mindfully lit up their performance with a moot temperament that builds in an exact way. That competence is set out here in the alternative placements in such an appreciated way that the distinguished call adds comparisons to Pink Floyd in how highly realised it all is. Again their prog rock characteristics come to bear down on things in the right way on ‘Loose Movement’. There is a traipsed feel about the rhythm which adds a suitable ambience, yet contains it all brilliantly from how the structures are all laid out here and applied. The euphoric deliberation is also duly noted. In the running ‘On The Way Home’ appears to have an immediate flow which sees them get down to business straight away. The scintillating level of detail manages to get underneath the way it is all constructed. It looms in a big way and fronts the movement in a steady way. The fluidity here denotes an ambitious level of scope that is also not beyond their ability.

While it does come across as a sunken number, Pesto’ retains those morose sensibilities in a sufficient way. This provides well for it all in the contemporary sense. How it all rides up neatly on the inside also capitalises on the potential of the said approach undertaken. But you also feel it being welcomes forth from the comfortable presence they have. They invest again with a broader undertaking as the deeper calling of ‘Write It Down’ rounds it all out from the cut of the piano and guitar riffs. Electronica the spews forth lightly but it grows into it all in a graphic way. With the strained diligence of the vocals there is a formidable calling and amount of potential seized upon by the band here. The orchestration in the high end side of the music captures the replete side of ‘Project La Bamba’. That is a treatise that is thorough and caressed in a becoming way. What is commanded from the offbeat lyrics measures the elements in a contained way which is dutifully expressed with precision. In the offbeat lyrics the expressive die is creatively allowed come to pass and it digresses with a knowing degree of competent musicality in the process.

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JOEY GAVIN

As soon as you hear the title of the song come across you punch the air in triumph. Yet ‘Rolf Harris Is A Paedophile’ is far from being a novelty track. In the rhythm there is a telling feel which brings the worth true.

The resolute keel in the tempo blesses it all in a fixed way. That shows from how it brims with pace and the revelatory calling of the lyrics giving it face value. Another conducive and smart move then followed with ‘Moons’. Here there is a smart showing that is lightly spacious yet ably called upon. This brings a Belle & Sebastian like happenstance to the fore.

The lightness of touch in the saunter is thorough and bears down considerably well. Somewhat romantic in its own right but also comfortable enough to stand alone too you also sense. Another stationary number came next with ‘Spellchecker’. It is seen through by the impersonal way that the developed overtness blankets the showing. This is rather stylish and the somewhat seasoned way it all takes hold is really the making of it in a forthright way.

Tapered and equally as deft is ‘Within Dreams’. This has a high sense of development which frames it all in a conclusive way. This is heralded in by the well thought out management of the expressive elements. In how this sophistication is paramount the showing envelops the process as a while which accommodates the reach tellingly. The biding attributes of ‘Disappear’ move you in the right way. The neat and alternative allegiance helps it find direction. This somewhat anomic calling draws out the rhythm in a partial way that is knowingly meek. In that same respect the vocals are equally as kind to this one. Things take a sharper turn with ‘Run’. The upbeat nou disco beat gives the texture richness. This is noted in how the volume comes off the beat here with the robust sensibilities.

There is diversity in his set confirmed here with how this compares to everything else. On March 24th he has a gig in the Odessa club to launch his upcoming EP and the title track was his final number. Here the barren standard drifts along. The commendable way it is all structured knowingly builds all of the play as much as the noted projection in his voice does. The stillness and sobriety branch out in an exacting way. This is what gives his performance a progressive derivative which is neatly nurtured throughout.

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Irish Artists CRY MONSTER CRY Rhythm Of Dawn

This is an impressive debut album and the confidence that closes around opening track ‘Darkest Hour, Longest Day’ narrows the appreciated approach to draw a suitable comparison with America’s ‘A Horse With No Name’ because of the selective reflection. They then draw from that by concentrating the more urgent outline when it gets going.

You sense how settled they are as musicians with ‘Atlas’. With the deft turn of the handling here there is a careful splendour that is naturally called upon. The telling way that their ability steers the weight of the delivery through is the making of it all here. Calling upon a careful level of splendour is ‘Starling’. Found in the lyrical metaphors is a richness of depth and the steadfast way that the rhythm travels takes it where it is intended. Here you see diversity but also a sense of them realising their potential in how it breaks down.

From the opening line of ‘Old At Heart’ you are intrinsically drawn to the pristine qualities on show.

There is a learned calling to the emphasis and honesty that cuts to the chase in the showing. But it gifts it an autumnal worth that harbours the intent in a solid way throughout. They gainfully employ the affection in a productive way on ‘Gelert’s Grave’. It gives it all a seasoned charm that yields to the sympathies of the settled distinction that it is so richly endowed with but contains the vulnerability also. As soon as ‘Postcards’ begins you are drawn to the attractive richness of the tracking. This one brings a com

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parison with Glen Campbell/John Denver for all the right reasons. From start to finish this is fantastic, while in the formations that see everything fall into place by design a telling sense of wonderment is captured sweetly throughout.

Offering a very clear contrast to what preceded it is ‘On Tangled Shores’. In the acoustic showing of the arrangement there is a level of distinction which is then confirmed with the vocals. There is this treatise quality on show throughout which accentuates everything expertly and they produce another clever contrast to this with ‘The Distance’. What is situated in the emotive calling here richly fixes to the delivery and gives the volume an extra level of warmth. Adding to the curt showing is a kick which is neatly kneaded through and speaks volumes through and through. You note the insular in the feeling that pours out on ‘When The Morning Comes’. This is a trait that is honed in on and the avenues of the play accommodate in an affirmative way that capture the heart in the delivery. It is rather choice but it grows in stature alongside the sleight of the bluegrass calling in the undertone.

The last track on the album is ‘Homebird’. This is a truly confident number that connects the dots explicitly. There is a foremost tumble in the tempo that gives it lift. Another sharp calling is the vocal delivery and how they corner something in the delivery that is comfortably processed but is collected in a way that favourably brings it all full circle.

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LAST SECOND MAGIC Camelot

There is something of a whimsical charm that surfaces immediately on the opening track ‘After The War’. In a way there is a clever saunter about the tempo that adds a noted sense of completion, but it is the soothing harmony of the shared vocals that confirms this. There is a somewhat harder derivative on show with ‘Maps And Ropes’ which gives the contrast a noted sense of depth alongside the piano arrangement. A longing is secured in the weight of the delivery from both the walkabout feel of the vocals and the richness of the lyrical context.

Again they embrace the more upbeat positivity with ‘Boston’ and this has a telling sense of warmth presiding over how it flows. There is also a neat foray in the rhythm that plays in a dalliance that is smartly from how it is all brokered. As a result it holds together in a justified way that the approach seems to corner admirably.

As it opens you feel the token showing of ‘The Barrage Lifts’ bit it somehow feels repetitive.

While it is a steady affair you also note how familiar it sounds. On account of that you note the lack of depth on this one despite the attempt at stepping out in a more upbeat fashion. It doesn’t hold necessarily because of how less of a departure it is when held in comparison to the first three tracks. They make up for that shortcoming with ‘After 7’. This is a much stronger showing and they also carry it across in a more comfortable manner.

The settled aspects touched upon light it up magnificently and it seems to be built further

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with ‘The Idea Of It’. There is a more expansive feel to the arrangement which captures the select calling just right. It is an endearing effort full of substance but also harbours a realised sense of ambition in how it is all delicately balanced and poised. The homely stature in the vocals also caresses the lightness of being at the heart which is implicitly intended.

With how they approached the musical processes sees ‘Never Graced The Aisle’ reach a level of ascension in the patient way it builds. It is neatly judged and what is called upon is rather fitting. The affirmative way it is all motioned traps that calling with vigour. The splendid sense of depth that is delved into here gives it a noted sense of admitted reach. As the comfortable hush of ‘Fall’ plays through you are impressed. In the lightness of touch there is a hardened process at work which contains everything in a majestic way. Here they come into their element and the comfortable showing cornered is to the benefit of the song in a pure way.

‘Find Your Feet’ sees them do just that. It is a more buoyant showing which is in contrast to how it all lingers. What is communicated in the delivery gives it all an open showing and that seems to break down the emotive side splendidly. As it progresses you see just how good it is and the crescendo in how it builds moves you along with the delivery.

They close out here with ‘Gravity’ and here they let it all hang out after the cautious opening gives way. There is a rotund showing in that regard which gives the tempo some bite. What also adds up here is how they pick up the pace and allow an urgency to bear down on the lyrics.

Certainly they save the best until last and this is one of those tunes that is a fine calling card for the band.

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PARADOX Chapters

After the haunting prologue that opens the album gives way ‘As The World’ presents itself. There is something daunting to how the ensemble characteristics build the presence which gives it a foreboding weight. That is why the manner in how things are cornered here. It seems to move with a bit of a Goth rock vibe in the vacant trappings that suitably works. While it doesn’t dwell on the melancholic there is something in the withdrawn showing that gives ‘Nothing Lasts’ a noted sense of value.

It is patiently fed in and as a result the kneaded qualities plant themselves firmly in the proportionate way that they are considered. The bounding qualities on show with ‘S.A.D’ draw comparisons with Soundgarden and other bands of that era. That is because it occupies something that is not quite grunge but too marginalised to be considered indie, but it plays extremely well nonetheless.

With the darling sensibilities on show ‘Free As A Bird’ adds variety to the album, yet it is a distinguished number. Gone is the hardened grunge that presided over affair before and in its place is a softer approach that is cleanly embraced and produces a comfortable showing in the process that you warm to. In how it comes off the back of the solitary opening ‘Eat’ more than holds its ground admirably. There is a formidable pitch to the workings here which corners the deliberation in a resolute turning. Even though it acts as an interlude there is a lot

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going for ‘What’s The Reason?’ and it shapes up rather well. It is then followed by ‘Little Lives’ which absolves itself furthermore with the disenchanted appeal that is stowed away in the delivery. But there is a lot going for how it progresses towards the tune it closes out as that you do take note of.

Up next is the album’s token long player ‘In Disguise’. There is a lot of emphasis placed upon the playing aspects and how they fit the arrangement. In the vocal delivery there is something seized upon which takes it away from the bland manner in how it opens, and that richness gives it form which it deserves. Placing the acoustic guitar squarely in the mix sees ‘Painting Pictures’ develop a sense of maturity that brings a great deal to the album. It is a neat affair and nothing more than that but it works how it should. Then we come to ‘Beating Down’ and this opens with a glimpse of Americana in part. The sullen calling richly branches out at its own pace but keeps the full on showing in check.

Coming off the back of that is ‘Burning Out’. How it is loaded with pace sits right on it all the way through. It is favourably on the right side of raw and the edgy cut to it all hints at a West Coast America influence certainly because there are undisputed hints of garage bands written all over this one. Before the album closes out with an epilogue comes ‘Other Side’. It brings the album to a close on a rather dignified note.

There is a noted display in terms of range but it still falters quite a bit.

That is also a fair assessment of the album overall. Where it falls down is probably in how the songs are laid out because it marginalises the running somewhat, but where they get things right shows.

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THE TREESLEEPERS

Say Yes To Everything Hints of ska and punk run through this album and meet with slight gypsy appeals. This is paramount on the strength of the opening track ‘Darker Fate’. The abundant keel concisely keeps it grounded as it neatly begins to pick up in the flight. They harden the delivery with ‘Cold Blooded’ which brings forth a seductive polka trait that is fashionably fastened to the delivery. That gives it a sense of obvious focus which imparts upon the running in an elected way by design. A very positive showing for the band off the back of this is justified and confirms the virtues of the album.

The third track on the album is the interesting ‘21 Hookers And An Ounce Of Coke’. From the settled rattle of the controlled guitar riffs on the opening everything lines up neatly. A taut quality lands upon it in a way that is impossible to ignore. This tantalisingly picks the tune up when the upbeat qualities come to pass, while there is the focused feel of the rhythm as it all clicks into gear to contend with.

The listless quality on show with ‘Where Have You Gone’ is then backed up by a more urgent calling. That quality presides over the running with an immediate sense of distinction that is carefully gauged. It is here that the elective qualities are located and played with great effect.

The ska sensibilities of the band come to fruition on ‘True Fiction’. Again they seem to process a noted sense of revelry in the way it steps out

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which counts for a great deal. They mirror that invigorated sense of revelry again with ‘Breaking Tunes’. A celebratory effort which lights up candidly and here they carefully construct a number with a formidable calling in many respects. It is then followed up by ‘Shadows’. A very tidy number indeed and the astute qualities captured give it an inviting turn throughout which shows in all the right ways. The brash characteristics give it some exceptional bite and they lean into it with determination.

You get swept up in the tidy tumble of ‘Preacher’. The rich way it is carried across gives it a spry kick which also comes across somewhat uninhibited as the flit between something that has an indie charm and a sleight of hand that calls upon a lighter Americana figuration. With ‘Getting Stupid’ you also pick up on the good vibes which take you along for the ride. Built on a solid footing it also has a smart projection that invigorates everything in a positive manner. That is then followed by ‘Can’t Stop The Rot’ which has similar leftfield qualities on show but also an allure to it all. On the back of all that everything is contended with but it also has a sense of the practical about it throughout.

Bringing the curtain down on a very impressive album is ‘Delerium Trembles’. The invigorated pull of the track is there to be found in the rhythm, but it seems to coast along contently before a mid-way folk display changes the playing arcs. It is a clean tune and the direction doesn’t dissuade the level of appreciation for it all either. Overall this is a nice album to add to any collection.

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Irish Artists

VANN MUSIC Running

We reviewed the lead single ‘Boy’ in last month’s issue and that assessment still holds true. It is a brilliant tune with a marked sense of maturity that marks a telling departure and progression in the band’s sound. The way it develops breaks everything down in a subtle way in the richness of the tempo but still holds their signature sound in the right way. Second track ‘Repeat’ is another excellent tune. The very catchy derivative from the guitar resonates sharply here before a retro kitsch akin to something like Talking Heads is secured as the vocals carry it off. A blanket of chic is processed in the rhythm that is cleanly thought out and administered, but consistently done.

Seemingly mirroring that in an ornate way is ‘Jesus Babe’.

It drifts across on the opening in a way that draws a good U2 comparison by being broad in scope and definition. The merit of the lyrics is another saving grace here that works effectively. Then there is the distinct way that the arrangement holds on with which captures the essence in the right way. The fourth track here is ‘One Chance’ which brings everything full circle in the right way. The steady way it is motioned in has serious contention about it all. To coin a phrase, they nail it here. It has an indie flair to it that is grounded by the passive way the arrangement comes through. This is brilliant and again underlines our assessment of this band from the first time that we saw them play. There is a sense of realisation on show here that also diversifies this EP in all fur tracks and confirmed by this one.

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Overall you can say that the EP opens as ‘Boy’ and closes as man, so to speak, because of how it grows musically.

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HAWK

Clock Hands We have had the pleasure of seeing this band perform live on a few occasions and have interviewed them in our magazine in the past. This EP has a glorious sense of sophistication about it from start to finish. That is confirmed by the resolute splendour of opening track ‘Clock Hands’. Everything is distinguished from the vocals to the arrangement and magnificently accounted for in the highly imaginative retention of the lyrical here. Second track ‘Fire In A Classroom’ is an inspired effort indeed. Hints of Kate Bush ring out on it and that comparison is brought about because of the meticulous way the transition occurs here. It is a prevailing effort that draws inspiration in a forthright way and comfortably processes this in the end product. The gentle qualities really connect.

A tame calling travels through on ‘Footsteps’. In the way it builds the heart of everything is considered which gathers the pristine qualities in a refined way. It is concentrated in the right regard which allows the ethereal qualities in the bespoke manner convey an immediate level of contemporary from how it is all orchestrated. The lingering ebb and flow of ‘Hush’ holds true from the very beginning. This then brings a brash sense of expression through in the playing that sits neatly alongside the broader calling and scope on show. The stirring concentration is a telling quality here and denotes a determined meeting of ability and ambition. The final track here is ‘Guardian’. The tidy skip of the drumming on the intro is balanced and then it builds towards something with purpose. In how this takes flight everything retains a sense of direction that is considered well alongside the artistic integrity found in the expression, or perhaps it is the other way round. Either way it is an excellent marriage of convenience in the musical sense here.

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MEGACONE

Fondle Fantasy Having released four videos to accompany each of the four tracks that make up the EP, this progressive band has a lot to say musically. This full on ensemble affair is a musician’s EP undoubtedly and gets going with ‘The Accidental’. There is a neat distinction carried through with the commendable way that the playing arcs are fashioned, with the distinction tellingly moving through each time it is applied. With second track opening in a more sedate manner things move with a level of contention as the sauntered riff carries through. That select quality is catchy and sits right with a mellowed level of sophistication carrying the class of it off all the way through.

Things harden to a justified degree with ‘Ouncy Castle’. They cut loose with the delivery here and that grounds the level of play with ‘Aliens: Unsealed From the Future(What If?)’. What that brings to the pitch here is excellent and the urgency is as well considered as it is tracked. The final track is ‘Astatine’. This develops the spacious side of the tempo in the introduction. From there it neatly begins to take off. The steady derivative of the showing comes across immediately and that apparent level of class that they have artistically works wonderfully well here. The scope is built to accommodate their determination which results in them finely crafting something of significance in the music.

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VOIDS Begin

The first track of the five from this Galwegian outfit is ‘Begin’. Something sultry is concentrated in the rhythm and the vocals which builds a telling allure and stature into the equation. That I kept in check and the grandeur of how it all necessitates is found in the way it is rightly called out. Hat longing is steadfast in a calculated which contains the closed approach of the delivery quite comfortably. Again the intricacy is gauged in an involving way with ‘Knowing’. The resolve is similar to the opening track but does offer a telling distinction between the two. This takes the control of the delivery toward a token sophistication which the enamoured feel of the pursed vocals contends with diligently.

As third track ‘The Fear’ plays there is a feeling of familiarity. Gain the isolated calling generates the mood and tone in a rich way, but the patience of it doesn’t take the artistic integrity any further. You can appreciate the latent structures present but it leaves things lacking in a noted way here. As for ‘Falling’, things again come across in a narrowed way. The vocals look to a longing for subject matter but again the tempo is too steady. Lacking variety leaves you somewhat cold to this. The indifferent feeling is confirmed and you sense that there is one idea running through their music when you hear this.

With final track ‘Crash And Burn’ they try and build the sound. This does so. That unbridled turn falls into place. It is a lighter touch again but they corner a level of chic here that hasn’t been present before. How it is motioned does consider that approach neatly and gathers sufficiently. The rest of the EP is filled out with a remix of each track as well which all hold up well in their own right.

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AOIFE UNDERWATER

On The Cusp Of Nothing This is an EP that should be titled on ‘The Cusp Of Greatness’. The eponymous opening track embraces a rich vogue that is enriched by the glorious synth beats running through. Adding presence is the remedial conditioning of her voice which carries an additional richness of valour to the delivery. Those retro sophistications add to the breakdown here in an electrifying way that exemplifies that credibility through the music. In the rhythm there is a true notoriety that adds a seasoned flair to the make-up, but in how ‘Loosen Your Grip’ finds volume leaves a lasting impression. The sexualised lyrics have a sense of post-modern female empowerment which matures the sound in a determined way. That confidence resonates on all fronts with a secured pedigree.

Continuing on with that female empowerment is ‘You Didn’t Break’. This is a glorious pop tune that is contended with in a mature way. How it all flies really shows in the noted sense called out in how the rhythm is distributed. The even way it picks up maintains balance but also approaches everything with a noted deliberation. After that comes the rather select number called ‘Distraction’ which maintains the momentum of the EP in an achieved fashion. This has a fashionable calling that lights up everything. Taking flight among the catchy direction of the process as a while underlines the pop identity that is at work here but elevates it to a definitive level for all the right reasons. The closing track here is ‘When You’re Not Around’ and puts the perfect cap on the EP. This has a lot of the right sensibilities in the movement, but what is also appealing is the trendy attraction that is contended with in the delivery as a whole. What is presiding over the showing here is resolute and allows the expression to become a formidable affair but also one that doesn’t overwhelm the showing. What a great tune to close out with it has to be said.

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CRAFTY FUZZ aneyeforani

As soon as the opening guitar riffs come through on ‘S.Y.O.S.’ things are reasoned well with the hardened showing. Adding a considerable level of weight to everything is the vocals. They are pitched in a telling way which pans out tastefully with the urgency of the lyrics. That saving grace builds in a way that gets down to business from the off. Next comes ‘Bad Charm’ and this carries a solid sense of authority which figures on everything from the off in a calculated way.

The chorus alone asserts itself in a way that weighs in all of its own accord. That it is matched and backed by the progression of the playing allows the song to display a lean calling that muscles in brilliantly.

Coming across as a bold statement of intent is ‘Rat Race’ and this gets beneath the playing. How it guides the playing collects the bravado of the rock side of things and contains something in the margins that contends with the lean calling effectively.

The approach is hard but the pick-up that changes the direction contends with the playing arcs in an excellent way that displays a consistency in doing so. The fourth track here is ‘One Day’ and it has a more realised calling in how things are undertaken. The sullen canter of the tempo evenly breaks down and takes over in a complete way. The lean showing is also honed here and justifiably develops in time with the delightful meander that the delivery comes to revel in as it is all carried off.

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HOUDINI Houdini

‘Friendly Fire’ is a pop friendly affair but one that has feint traces of indie credibility in the running which adds that extra touch. How this light up is intricately considered and as a result the essence of the song is located in a way that is highly effectively. You are drawn to this for two reasons – the first is the attractive way that it runs which is easy on the ear. But the second is how it is developed because the desirable feel of the scope carries across a diligent showing in the tempo that works exceptionally well here and gets the best out of it from the band. The spatial calling of the piano allows the intricate placement of ‘Colder’ commendably come to the fore. That is contended with in a way that has solid face value but also approached in a way which captures the maturity of the approach in a fashionable way. This is something that you take to and how invigorated it becomes in the later progression carries it all through with a noted togetherness through and through.

After that comes ‘Hold Our Own. There is a lean showing here that happens to catch the neat indie disco side of things steadily as it builds.

The rich synth structures guide it through and give it a very radio friendly calling running through the mainstream sensibilities that are concentrated in the tempo. Things close out with ‘Nothing Here’ which extends the lavish tone and adds a sense of contention to the mix.

But in the vocals you note the urgency that creeps up on the play. It very much sinks in with a confirmed presence that is set out relatively well. In how it is all approached everything boxes clever in a way that amounts to something relevant.

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RICHARDRICHARD

From the sturdy shoegazer apparel of the intro, the EP opens with ‘Faces’ before proceeding to a formidable upbeat number. This is exceptionally catchy and the lean consistencies are keenly felt.

Adding to the flair of what is on show are an excellent bass hook and guitar riff which melt into the delivery. How that adds the right degree of chic certainly grabs you in the right way here. It is a top drawer effort from start to finish. Realising that potential again is next song ‘Laughing At Me’. They embrace the sensibilities here with distinction as the joyous feel of the rhythm steadily holds back.

This is another excellent tune which comfortably slips into gear with a noted intent that carries through in the identity of the band as much as it does the music.

Some more smarts show with ‘We Can Talk Tomorrow’. Here there is a development to the way the music builds. Things open up in the right way which fashionably channels everything through. The taut narrative present offers a great deal and this pushes out with relevance in all the right ways. Taking it back to a remote sense of calling is ‘Who’s To Blame?’ That expectancy added to the showing here ably draws comparisons with The Killers. Reflected in the lyrics is a direction which is latent and drawn from the approach of experience that comes from the experience of relationships. That is where they draw upon the similarities and the vocals have a Brandon Flowers feel to them also. Pitching up well is final track ‘Song For The Others’ and is rolled out with an apparent confidence. That is apparent and really showcases the right amount of qualities in the way it is delivered. Diverse flourishes also find their way through on this and add volume in the considered way the loose touches accentuate it throughout here.

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TUATH

An Taobh Tuath(ail) This is a fantastic alternative EP from this Irish band. The suitably glorious resonance of the rhythm inspires the calling on ‘Ocras’. This collects in the mood and ambience directly. The impressive and catchy side of the rhythm boxes clever throughout and has a suited pitch that encapsulates the grandeur explicitly here. Second track ‘Níl Tú Ann’ has a maternal sheltered side.

This also has a fluid movement to it that carries a telling sense of resolve. It has an ordained prestige to it which fits around their contemporary approach rather well. It is big on developing the music also and it shows in the latter stages of the progression in play. With ‘D.M.T.’ there is another fine showing of a band revelling in their artistry. Gauging the progressive leanings sees a systemic approach pay dividends with the full-on affair that comes to pass carrying a noted sense of proportional inspirational that ticks all the boxes.

You feel the forlorn sophistication of ‘Uisce Uisce Read All about it’. There is a closeness to this which holds the telemetry in place. That resilience shines through in how the rhythm gels in absolutely stunning fashion.’ I D'tuath De Mo Cuid Namhaid’ is a cover of The Brian Jonestown Massacre song ‘In The Land Of My Enemy’ and is then followed up by the instrumental work that is ‘Ag Dunmharu An Timpeallacht’. This is another stellar effort that works impressively off the back of the showing here. Closing out proceedings is ‘Bharuil’. This takes a leftfield direction with the expressive touches in show coming to bear with great effect. The ratty intro is a constant and how it adheres to the structure present gives it a prevailing innovation that is rather worthy of appreciation.

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WHITERTRASH Lostman

The eponymous title track opens it and it is a suitably subtle affair with a mindful hold found in the lyrics, rhythm and delivery as a whole. The sauntered pace comes to give a comprehensive shape. That is reasoned well in the demeanour that carries it all through. You pick up on the passionate calling and appreciate it all the more for how it comes to bear down on the delivery in the clean way that it does. Spring forth with an Americana murder ballad feel about it is ‘Release Me’. This has an outward sense of authority that carries the forward momentum of the track through with a grace that is all of its own making. That endearing feel cuts to the chase as the hardened pick up adds some serious bite to proceedings.

Offering a very clear contrast to this is the way that ‘Runnin’ Down The Mountain’ checks the pace.

Initially it is a slow and steady showing but it has a concise drift to it that then picks up that running that gets stronger in the way it gathers. How it develops in terms of movement holds fast, but it is the detail of the other musical elements which also impress in a high manner. Not just a great title, but a great tune to go with it is ‘Grave Robbin’ Man’.

This is a song that Nick Cave would be proud of and you could easily be mistaken for thinking it has come from his repertoire. Such is the quality on show with this one. The specificity is a constant and one that cannot go unappreciated. The stature of it is confident and allows the music do the talking in a way that has a lot to say. The fifth track is ‘Devil’s Chain’. In the background there is a slinking of links which is a neat effect. It also creates temperance and mood in a resolute way. The weight is handled in the approach, and as it all begins to come together there is a steadfast maturity to it all which takes hold as it steps out.

This is big on Americana values and there can be no complaints from how it cuts loose as it shoots from both barrels. What a great closer and what a great EP to have the pleasure of listening to.

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O EMPEROR Lizard

There is a retro vibrancy to the opening track ‘The Sky Is Your Oyster’ that also inhabits a heightened sense of New Wave fortitude in the delivery. How that effectively yields everything is keenly felt with the richness in the touches closely condensed to keep an urgent keel in check that furthers the showing here. Taking a somewhat nouveau approach that inverts a curious disco feel is ‘Bogue’. A beleaguered feel in the vocals carries a distant appeal that is rather innovative and bolsters the appeal if their leftfield characteristics. There is a mindful resilience that busies away here and the playing accommodates this in a necessitated way that has a beleaguered demeanour which develops everything. You also empathise with the track for the cool way the kitsch works through.

Then comes ‘Switchblade’. The sexy side of the rhythm connects with the opening and then the catchy side continues to play out like a dream. This is rich in appeal, yet it is grounded and tantalising in a proven way that comes full circle. The heightened progressive touches are sounded out brilliantly here and chased down with a real confidence brimming away at the core.

Tellingly harnessing their own brand of disco kitsch is ‘Trash Club’. The shimmy in the running adds a fresh element to proceedings which gets down to everything in a proven way. Hints of ELO also come to pass here and that is a testament to how great the track, and the EP as a whole really, comes through.

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SPINES Spines

A band that everyone is currently talking about for all the right reasons on the Dublin circuit. The opening track here is ‘The Void’ and calls upon a lot of the dark qualities in the right way. That adds a sense of noir to the texture before the raw side charges through. The way it is all angled carefully weighs up everything and it gives the edgy cut something that has real bite but also tricks out in the right way from how the progression all comes to pass.

Second track ‘Should Have Listened’ braces in a surly way yet seems to stare that down as the playing all connects. An air of confidence gathers on it in an appealing way which heralds the weight through before dropping out and allowing the sedate reckoning to take precedent in the showing without losing anything. This clicks into gear in a telling way and exudes an undeterred punk feel that travels in an abrasive way that corners things selectively. As a live band they have this juvenile quality about their stage presence which is rather attractive and fanciful. It is what gives ‘Bite Me’ the sense of contention it needs. This sets the tune a blazing path to follow and you see the riot grrl feel of what they can do come to the fore.

Principally it also has a chaste quality that is unleashed in a real way as the compact qualities pile on the pressure.

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MONSOON SEASON Elements

This EP takes the four elements as the source of inspiration. Helen Holligan and her dulcet voice add a touch of telling class on ‘lost’. This one represents air and the relativity of the sublime calling passes you by with a neat deliberation. Sophisticated touches of jazz add gravitas here which finds a demeanour as things are carried through.

The supple ‘Daydreaming’ comes to represent earth. From the off you note the sheltered aspects and how they appreciate the tender aspects of the song. As the softness conveyed envelops the running it is all endearingly competent. The affluent nuance of it sits upon it with a degree of relevance at every turn. Third track ‘Drifting’ represent water. This is very pleasing on the ear and has Corrina Bailey Rae connotations about it that are very refined. Be it the bellow of the trumpet or the way the tempo is so persuasive everything touches out in a maternal way that is explicit in how telling it also is. The real level of class prevailing here shows in the most fortunate way. The fourth track, and representing fire, is ‘Sunrise’. Again this is a steady and grounded effort with a clear turnaround in the way it is all pieced together. A very thorough showing in so many aspects, the real worth of it comes through comfortably and the weight of the vocals are also delivered in a way that fits within that framework.

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At Unsigned And Independent we are continuing to grow. Our monthly readership is now a steady 160,000 monthly. As such we are looking for people to join our team of writers.

These are unpaid positions but offer anyone interested something very impressive to add if they are looking to build their portfolio.

Interested people should e-mail: contributors@unsignedandindependent.com

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International Acts

THE AFTERVEINS Showers

‘Citywise’ is one of those opening tracks that cut to the chase, and the brief running time is suited to it. An energised pomp is cornered in the delivery that is matched by an unapologetic swagger that captures a raw essence that sees the band step up the plate.

It is lean and suitable comparisons to Joe Strummer file out in the vocals. Second song ‘Untitled’ evokes a joie-de-vivre that then progresses to find something of The Jam circa 1978 about it.

The underground formations of the play have a telling kitsch to them that invigorates it all in a choice way but backs it up by bring the substance to the mix expertly in how it is handled.

Despite the title, ‘Wanking In The Shower’ proves to be a rather mature effort with a broad expansive opening setting everything up. There is an intricacy to how the rhythm is balanced which then envelops the sound to certify their musical aspirations.

How ‘Why You Low’ moves you is all on account of how expertly considered all of the musical showing is. It is superbly laid out. From that they find a calling and the subtleties that reside are of an excellent pedigree. They lock in a neat alt-rock consideration that evolves their sound artistically. Fifth track ‘John Borno’ is a blistering affair. The opening salvo of the guitar work draws a Joy Division comparison. Instantaneously

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the full on showing in the delivery takes you along for the ride with the sweeping candescent way it all comes together. Track number six here is ‘Wet’ and this takes off in a rather distinguished way. As the vocals begin to pour out there is a hint of David Byrne about it. The subtle digression of eccentricity also wrapped up in the haze of the delivery keeps it grounded in a precise way. That neatness prevails notably here in so many ways.

The way ‘Small’ is motioned in takes stock of something finite and comfortably runs with it. The sleight feel of the vacant fragility softens the performance. It steadily builds on this cherished notion and the way it harbours that withdrawn calling brings the contemporary aspects through full circle. As ‘Interlude #3’ gets down to the ensemble spirit you are also taken up with how constructive it all is and it neatly tees up ‘Something Nothing’ to come through. The difference in style is apparent from the off.

The richness in the disenfranchised organic serves it well from the tempo, but the real crux of the value is found in how the vocals weigh in. The curtain call is made with the suitably titled ‘Farewell Before I’m Gone’.

Again the withdrawn ambience closes around the tempo and deliberates in a truly noted way. The progressive side yields a lot and it is a formidable turning from the band in that regard, but it all falls into place with a noted degree of excellence on all fronts.

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RUSTY JACKS ‘There’s No Good Way’ is the first track on the album and it is a tepid affair. The blues narrative is steadfast but what seems to hold this back is the obstructed way it operates. In how it positions itself hinders this from getting into a neater flow, which is confirmed from the unorthodox way it is laid out.

The rich blue and harmonica flow of ‘Holler ‘N’ Howl’ signals an intent that pitches up with confidence. This is much noted improvement from the band and plays out without any hang ups.

Splendid in development is ‘Never Had The Blues Before’ and you note the appreciation that is on show for all the right reasons. The texture and layering in the playing adds a concentrated turn to it all that is magical.

It is a long player but it is one that goes the distance.

The Booker T and The MG’s classic ‘The Hunter’ is the only cover on the album and it is a damn fine version that sees them put their own stamp on it. Hitting the ground running is ‘Bad Seeds’. The certified pomp in the rhythm galvanises the showing here and compensates for the somewhat lacklustre swing of the vocals. It is a quickoff-the-draw affair and that shows in the slightly carefree way it comes to pass. What filters through ‘Pay My Dues’ sensibly seasons the open showing. This lands neatly from the off and it is oncentrated in a thorough way.

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You sense the revelry of ‘Good Morning (Little School Girl)’.This takes it over and comes to dominate in a favourable way while also denoting a believable level of maturity. The reputable way it is all treated hangs of the intro with a riff akin to ‘All Along The Watchtower’ helping that appeal considerably, but how it progresses denotes a stunning level of playing ability. After that we have ‘You Tease Me’ which steadily remedies the delivery. There is a charm brimming away in the dandy sensibilities here that calls it right. Again that comes to pass but in a more dignified showing with ‘Down In The Gutter’. The gritty way it moves sexualises the track in a notorious way as much as it lets the music do the talking. That is a prominent assessment and is a testament to how good the play is here.

‘Saturday Night Again’ is a catchy and lean affair. The cool glances in the upbeat delivery that asserts itself excellently. It works by just going straight for it and never lets up. As such an air of cool finds its way through that you admire all the more for how it shakes everything up. Then ‘Way Over My Head’ graduates toward something with a more innate calling. It calls upon this in an equalised way which turns it all over in the resonating drift of the play. The resolve also is a solid - 36 one that shows in the- determined reach of the vocals and lyrical narrative that give it so much. The final track here is ‘The Sun Is Shining’ and this has a longing appreciation to it. The absolved way it is felt through narrows in a way that explicitly embraces the delivery.

It feels real and like an unrehearsed one take that nailed it which gives it a zest.

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ENTER METROPOLIS Bright Lights

The first track is ‘New Flight’ and this is a somewhat indifferent affair. Something steep is caressed in terms of how the tempo climbs which fronts it in a way that sticks to something formulaic. While it does have a clear mobility in how it is tracked, there is something about it that also plays it a little too safe. The rhythm is a more thorough affair and sharply felt on ‘Absurd Reality’. It is an ample offering framed by the taut approach here which is backed up by a concentration in the playing that allows the flight to take off. It cleanly builds on this and this is what leads it all the way through.

Title track ‘Bright Lights’ follows. Hints of mainstream are attempted and the crossover approach fastens credibility to the constrained channelling of the tempo. It seems to steadily get beneath the tempo and it has a balanced urgency that collects admirably. Vocally there is also a suitable lean showing and how the pieces all fit together does what it needs to do.

When you hear ‘Peace Of Mind’ you can see the band develop the album. Here the play does sound similar but there is a broader sense of scope in the lyrics. They are relayed in a consistent way that refines the weight of the delivery and the track is stationary, yet built in a considerate fashion to accommodate this approach.

Then comes ‘My World Is Mine’ which is an extension of that bolder attempt at progressing their sound. Here the sound emerges from a more countered showing

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which drops the rhythm down into a more concerted showing. The tidy lift in the drumming adds a neat bit of flair here to offer a slight contrast to the impasse that the delivery as a whole comes to be. On ‘Fluid Courage’ the play amounts to a crossover with a courteous pop virtue to it.

Akin in some ways to Maroon 5 it opens up with the way it is driven forward. It is a strong touch that is applied in a diligent way and that gives the run a pounding sense of authority that is somewhat reined in.

When ‘Goldmine’ begins, there is an interesting draw to the intro that the sober opening line resides over kindly. This is a distinctly different offering and in the trappings there is an attempt at developing scope. It works favourably and does see them up their game. Mid-way through a telecast appears which offers an artistic merit that is welcome. Spatially, ‘Tamed Lion’ embraces a noted sense of development. This is factored into the delivery and its inclusion allows a heightened flow come through in the tracking. It is extolled neatly and sort of suits their style, albeit lightly. ‘Ghost Of My Past’ hangs off the lingering guitar riff on the intro.

Bespoke vocally, the tune is caressed carefully to reflect this and it hold the passivity close as it blends it to the approach undertaken.

Taking the initiative is ‘Smile’. More pronounced in terms of how it sounds grants it an assertive quality that it comfortably contends with.

All of the neat characteristics of their sound are present, albeit playing that safe card again, yet it is a more determined effort from them in terms of how they- 36 embrace the attempt. A more intricate offering is ‘Tortured Self’. You note that this has a personal approach undertaken because to filters through in the disconnected showing in the lyrics. The closing track here ‘What Counts’ opens in quite a good way and it has a lot going for it. The soft respects offer a lit and give it a noted drive which prevails in a way that counts. It is actually the best track on the album and does stand out for the right reasons.

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SUNSHADE Sunshade

This is a fine album that has an essence to it that relays its Gallic sensibilities in the free flow of opening track ‘Hope We Stay Young’. An air of decorum filters through in the flight of the music. How this admirably remedies everything stays the course and presides notably over everything in a carefree way that passively contains that textured approach. Pushing through in a mellowed way is ‘One For A’ and it procures a timely virtue that works wonders. Hiding away in that process is a finite pop sensibility which adorns it in an upright way. All of the sophistication in the select outline here stands it good stead and is locked down neatly. Third track ‘Charlotte, Walk With Me’ calls upon a somewhat distal temperament in the rhythm which hones the finite processes in a graduated way.

There is a telling way to how it carries it all off and this locks it all down with a distinguished cut which accentuates the sleight of hand on show in a romanticised way that neatly adds flair.

In the deft electronica flourishes that preside over the opening of ‘Music By The Pool’ a cool nou disco beat then comes to pass. It glides along carefully and the turbulent way it does so has a candid essence that fittingly charms the listener as it does so. It is haughty and very cool, but the chic leftfield manner of it doesn’t go amiss

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either and objectifies everything in a distinguished way. ‘Let The Funny Come To You’ just opens up in a way that lets the fluidity come to pass. It is an approach that gathers in a concerted way which tellingly maintains the thorough orchestration. This lays on the cool and the charm in generous measures. After that comes ‘None We Should Love’ and there are telling comparisons with ELO picked up on here. The virtue of the song itself has this majesty about it all which suitably comes full circle in how it all operates.

Hanging off the back of the lingering tempo is ‘Few Days Before Powder’. This is harmonised and the supple vocal delivery finds a place to call home on this one. It runs in a resolute way at each turn. That is a comprehensive trait and one that impresses upon it all in a notable way which imbues with a practical sensibility that endearingly calls everything out in the right way.

Making waves in the right way is ‘Ducks And Drakes’. An emphatic number that resists the urge to go all out with the tempo. That approach works effectively and by reining it in it keeps the brief running time all the more relevant. The closing track here is ‘Wide Awake’.

A somewhat New- 36 Wave - offering and one that distinguishes itself from the rest of the album for it. That organic plays into the track but it progresses toward a more prestigious offering. The intricate alternative calling confirms this and how it implicitly lights up asserts itself in a knowing way purely by design here.

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SEXORES

Historias De Frio There is a significant contemporary processing about the eponymous opening track that is synonymous with expression. Stirring the opine characteristics in the mild haze of shoegazer overtures has the added effect of keying in the remedial qualities in a lavish way that captures everything in the essence throughout.

On second track ‘Below The Rainbow’ there is a heightened sense of development on show yet again. This is magnificent.

The appreciation for creating something of artistic merit holds in the affirmative here. This is a rich and solid textured effort so immediately fluid that it is deserving of all praise heaped upon it.

Then we come to ‘Plain’.

With the dreampop demeanour pulling so attractively on the rhythm you become absorbed by it all. It seems to inhabit a Lynchian like presence in how it conjures everything so vividly from this demure. Here you are walking through a musical landscape that is so rich in detail that it appreciates furthermore on each turn.

The virtuosity of the album is further confirmed by ‘Dahmer’. What unfurls in the way this one sits back before the innovation takes

hold. When this happens the proverbial envelope is pushed exquisitely. This holds the impasse that progresses in the expansive way it is furnished.

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Gifted with an undoubted level of ability the band further up their game with ‘Ballad Of A Girl Named Nothing’. The sharpness presides centrally in the movement of this one that is tantamount to sheer genius. That empowers it with a supple level of distinction that has heart and artistry at the fore throughout. They pick things up with ‘Eli’, yet something bides away that is both seductive and subverted in equal measure. The structures toiling away set a precedent that adheres to their own high standards but also sees them engage that calling in how they go beyond what has already been before. ‘Techos Rotos’ more than holds its own. The swirling kaleidoscope of sound that is locked down from the swirl of the guitar circles it with a note sense of authority. How it guides the delivery channels the play in a way that gives it a noted sense of purpose.

Charging head on in is the final track ‘Shinigami’. This has it all.

- 36way - it all sounds makes everything here. Hints The volume of the of shoegazer, j-pop and indie credibility come full circle on this in such an inspired. There is a sense of intent that bears down on it immensely from the off but it has a proven focus about it all that purifies the air as soon as you hear it play.

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THE SLOW READERS CLUB

Live At Central Library The audio quality of this album is excellent and it serves as the perfect tonic to introduce the uninitiated to the band. Opening track ‘Sirens’ finds a salvo in the spirit of Ian Curtis from the vocal delivery as much as it is the raw organic of the tempo. That feature is contended smartly with the abundant way the play is dragged across the delivery.

How well judged the pace is stares down the delivery to show what they are about as a band. They again imbue rich indie credibility with crossover appeal in ‘Forever In Your Debt’.

They follow through and process the lean side of everything in a way that has indie classic written all over it as they tease that through the finesse. With a title that was born to be a song comes ‘Days Like This Will Break Your Heart’ and it doesn’t disappoint. The intricacy of the intro steadily sets it up in a fashionable way alongside the implicit development of the hardened calling.

Resurgent in how ‘Start Again’ kicks in concentrates the synth aspects of the rhythm to carry the momentum across. The excellent deliberation of the raw narrative takes stock of the starker quality lingering over the running to give the tracking a balanced sensibility. That fluid trait adds a confident sense of

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belief which further enhances the appreciation. Again the synth scoring is a big plus which goes a long way for ‘Fool For Your Philosophy’. Setting out a retro charm sounds them out in a way that puts them on a par with post-modern contemporaries such as Depeche Mode. It is achieved impeccably with the high wow factor confirmed from how style meets substance here. That is then followed up by the attractive lucidity of ‘Don’t Mind’. That quality carries across in the guided demure of the opening which refines the distinction coursing through. What gets the best out of this effort is how the savoury pull of the vocals sits alongside the intelligent pedigree of the lyrical structure.

Ornate and moving number ‘Block Out The Sub’ brings a mature essence to proceedings. That mood resonates in a highly emotive way from the solitary vocals that meet the arrangement’s reach.

Confirming the appreciation is the slick way they rein in the upbeat movement. That brilliantly secures something glorious from how it is all accrued. Hitting the ground running is ‘Feet On Fire’. The checked pace rises in way that shows how hungry the band is. All of the formidable qualities grab you from how it is - 36 fronted. They do more than get their swagger on here…they deliver another anthemic classic. Things are brought to a close with ‘One More Minute’. Drawing New Order comparisons it has a conclusive sense of worth closely administered in the dynamics. It is bold, edgy and, above all else, relevant. Overall, this is a listening experience that takes you away from the fact that it is a live album.

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BLACK SONIC REVOLVER Black Sonic Revolver

You go along for the ride on this album from the offset of the catchy guitar riff of ‘Up & Down. As an opening track it has a completed sensibility in the rock virtue grandiosely lingering in the ebb and flow. The hard side is leaned on just right and gives it a greater sense of stature as they grow into it.

‘Sometimes’ is a tidier affair with the acoustic guitar holding it all in. The poise of the lyrics imbues it with a noted decree of optimism in the reflective lyrics. It is neatly brought through here and works extremely well with the ‘shoot the breeze’ style that comes to pass. Then it is a full on blues affair with ‘Bring Yourself Down For Me’. A grounded intent races through and brings it all together neatly. That retains a flux that is processed in the affirmative to fine effect.

harmonica and acoustic guitar combo settled into the opening.

The prominent lyrics denote a keener ambition for the album artistically which grows in depth from the emphasis placed upon it all. Blessed with one of those intros that can make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up is ‘Future’. This stands out from the rest of the tracks for all the right reasons. That strong calling confirms everything tellingly with the progression reflecting their ability.

Next track ‘The Way That I Do’ develops the sound. In the indie credentials displayed there is a notoriety that works its way through delightfully.

Closing around the running in the way it does frames everything and allows the sharp processes of the catchy beat to come full circle in a realised way that gets underneath the delivery. Then comes ‘Space & Time’ which holds fast amid the tidy

The off the hook ‘Play Along’ fires everything up straight away.

That chaste quality in the edgy plaudits is excellently judged and gives it an urgency that pinpoints that raw necessity in a direct way. The full on affair it comes to be never loses the run of itself either and that controlled showing is a brilliant one. With ‘Loose Lips’ the intro hints at Americana and then progresses to a full on guitar effort with an indie shape to how it is cut. The bridge also embraces the Americana in a noted way and they then Keep that momentum moving with ‘Waiting For You’. Sturdy in terms of rhythm, how it clicks into gear controls that abundantly. It has a - 36 lavish texture that purrs from the guitar work igniting the delivery. Churning along admirably off the guitar riffs is ‘Storm Clouds’. A majestic effort in the right way that the weight is considered in the breakdown abides tellingly. The somewhat smooth calling has an air of confidence that also secures the reach here by design.

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LAND LINES

The Natural World This is an album that is a musician’s album as much as it is the band’s album. This begins to show with ‘Rivers + Streams’. All of the layering carefully constructs a heightened appeal which grows in stature as the play progresses. They trade on the alternative cut fancifully but not in a way that becomes complacent and, as such, it develops appropriately.

‘Etiquette’ is another number with a warranted awareness of identity found in the music that is contended with immediately from the off.

How it plays out captures a sullen precision that hardens the resolve of the running but still allows room for manoeuvre in the way the structures build. Taking the partial qualities and placing them squarely alongside the synthesised grandeur of ‘Limb From Limb’ gives everything a delightful essence. This is another tune marked out for its distinction yet there is a beleaguered feel to the tempo that is intentional. For the inclusion here there is a further sense of completion achieved that allows it to take off in an admirable way, albeit one that has a languished turning to it, but it is a very complete number throughout.

You sense the band has a finite alternative leaning and this comes to pass on ‘Logic’.

The approach corners a finite deliberation from the off. As such it seems to curtail the tempo but bring the sullen relativity to the fore in an appreciated way that

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displays a commensurate approach that understands the importance of attention to detail. It is that emphasis that provides it with what it needs. Off the very lean intro comes ‘Help’. The rotund sense to this collects in a significant way and furnishes it with simplicity to the running that is of a high standard. How effective it comes to be pushes the processes through in a balanced way in the way the laissez faire gallantry sends it all up. All the more so form how it picks up towards the close. What follows next is called ‘Plans’, and to coin a phrase, I love it when this comes together. The playing arcs favourably develop the context of the album as a whole with the raw cut to the tempo. As the catchy beat grabs hold the vacant stare of the vocals come to pass in the right way and give it a nouveau pop calling that corners a nice in the right way.

The diversity for what the album has to offer is very much on show with ‘Division’. Again there is a broader feel to the structures which carefully carries the ebb and flow. In the concise trappings you have something that has hints of Lana Del Rey among the subtleties of the emotive calling but also an enriched sense of depth that is all of its own making. ‘Matter’ sees things revert back to a nouveau pop calling.

- 36 The margins offer a divergence which condenses the ambience intuitively in how the play develops. The last track here is ‘Will + Worry’. This is a brief number but the settled calling sees it right even before the stirring effect of the string arrangement on the bridge comes to pass. It has a reliance to it all that is encompassing by some impressive playing.

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THE CONTROVERSY There is a forthright conclusive appreciation to the album’s opening track ‘Two Voices’. Not only does it take flight expertly with the indie disco touches in the tempo but it has an enriched sense of nouveau chic to it all over. A very sharp number with an abundant buoyancy in the rhythm as it all lifts off giving it a permitted determination which hits everything head on with the right level of urgency and commitment.

With the selective allure coming through from the off ‘Queen of Chinatown’ capitalises on that virtuous showing.

Everything is patiently touched out which adds an attractive allure that the synthesised beat lingers over in a heightened fashion. This is a brilliant tune from start to finish, but the deadened quickening in the tempo is an excellent showing that also goes a long way here. They pick things up with the slightly more upbeat ‘Neon Sign’. Even though it is reined in somewhat there is a largesse to it that is prominent in the way it sounds. In the slickness of the beat there is a fine meeting of style and substance which carries the tune through, but it is the careful togetherness to the arrangement as a whole that gives it a proven sense of authority and weight as the delivery connects.

In the delectable way that the outline of the rhythm is traced on ‘Thirty Horses Gently Weep’ the sultry demeanour finds a place to call home. The prevailing warmth to how it is all pieced together slowly builds. In the calculated way the arrangement then pulls

10 through the more spacious elements add an additional proven calling to how their layering works for the process as a whole. Residing on ‘Luna’ is a Latin flair that is carefully caressed. The soothing elements add something a refinement that softens the development of the track expertly. You appreciate the sensibility of it all the more for how it is carefully arranged and handled because it harbours a latent monastic trait to excellent effect. High on the wow factor is ‘Fly’. This has a distinguished New Wave feel as much as it does an experimental calling. The organic seems to stem form an industrial style in the hardened way the gritty side continues through. As such, there is something raw found in the context that brings a further sense of volume to proceedings that is very much a hands on affair that works in the right way.

‘Inside My Robot’s Mind’ is an interlude that embraces the delivery in a musical sense and acts as an excellent precursor to set up the album’s closing two tracks. The first of those is ‘You Know’ and it has a careful and inspired calling that is channelled through from the vocals and tempo.

The heightened sense of development broadens the track which in turn settles a suiting sense of ambience centre to the way it is pitched.

The final track here - 36is- ‘Just Say You Love Me Again’. Again there is something wonderful that prevails from what is on show here. The savoury way everything is caught lights it up selectively. In the handling of the acoustic guitar everything is framed just right and again the neatness to the vocal harmony enriches the appeal in a telling way. How it envelops the song provides it with worth and promise. Overall, this is one of those great albums you get the pleasure of hearing as part of the job.

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PEARLS Review by Greg Clifford

PEARLS, hailing from Melbourne, weave a tapestry of dream-like alt glam-pop coupled with their signature, reverb laden, neo-70s electronic leanings. ‘Big Shot’ gets the album under way.

The track draws inspiration from glam gurus Marc Bolan and Suzi Quatro and also nods to fellow Australian rockers Tame Impala, in terms of its groove and demeanor. ‘Big Shot’ ticks most boxes in relation to accessibility, length and catchiness. The lyrics are also both infectious and memorable. Solid effort here guys!

‘Albion’ offers us something a little different, while maintaining a consistency captured by the nostalgic 70s feel. A certain reflective darkness permeates, while convoluted hope is suggested in the chorus; ‘I spent the longest time on Albion just to be with you’. ‘Straight Through The Heart’ again exhibits disco qualities through its guitar hooks, synths, tight harmonies and additional percussion instruments. Pearls are by no means pushing musical boundaries here but they have found their sound and pay homage while also putting their own personal slant on proceedings. They have the right blend of integrity, while certainly catering to a radio driven audience.

‘Me And My Girl’ carries on from where the previous song left off, as the group

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fuses indie elements with dreamy nostalgia. However, I find it slightly disappointing that the group does not carry on from the stomping attitude that is established and ubiquitous throughout the album’s opening track. Having said that ‘Me And My Girl’ and ‘Better Off Alone’ do show off alluring enchanted doom epitomized by the crooning baritone timbre of Ryan Caesar’s voice. Up next is ‘Part Timers’, and for all its charm and hooky guitars, ultimately becomes fundamentally filler.

‘Baby’ makes a virtue of a lighter undercurrent, while the subject matter is in keeping with the pop sensibilities of the instrumentation and approach. Without demanding much attention this song still retains a certain attractiveness. ‘Dirty Water’ kicks off with a drawn out instrumental opening, creating much anticipation before a haunting melody ensues. We are treated to a glam rock fusion and a chordal progression not far removed from 12 bar blues. Personally I would like to see the group release the clean, apologetic shackles and crank up the fuzz here.

‘Pretend You’re Mine’ brings the album to a close. This track is more - 36 - more akin to the glam vibe they strive to be and like it and is certainly flirt with. One could argue that maybe the group was not entirely ready to release an album? The band does exert proficiency but intensity and focus levels dwindle at certain moments throughout the LP. There is a potentially, monumentally strong 4 track EP on offer here, rather than a good, solid album. Pearls do have significant potential and have for sure taken positive steps in the right direction here.

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BIG PHONY

Long Live The Lie Review by Greg Clifford

Bobby Choy (Big Phony) is a singer/songwriter who has had an interesting musical journey. He was born and raised in New York City. Here he studied at the legendary School of Performing Arts and Music and Art. Choy drifted from his artistic endeavors to attend a Christian college to study to be a pastor. However, his burning musical desires came to the fore not long after and he returned his focus to music. However, these studies and self-realizations have left their mark on a reflective Choy and these experiences manifest themselves in his astute lyrical output. In 2011 the artist relocated to South Korea – the country his parents are from. He resides in Seoul and continues to explore and release music.

For this album Choy departs from his previous acoustic sounds. He credits Enik Lin (of electro pop outfit IAMMEDIC) for helping to bring his vision alive. There are moments throughout the album that have all the hallmarks of an artist venturing into the unknown and even moments of uncertainty. But this culminates in creating something honest and exciting yet tentative and organic.

‘A Change To The Blood’ is a strong electronic number, in which the steady percussive, metronomic beat provides a hypnotic backdrop. This becomes the foundations in which a shrewd melody is constructed upon. ‘All Bets Are Off’ is texturally dense and has a cinematic quality.

There is also a dream-like sinister air to the vocal display

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and timbre. Although the track has a dreamy air to proceedings it doesn’t lose direction or float along generically. Big Phony puts his own personal stamp on this genre with much aplomb.

‘The Great I Am’ is a most emotive number, in which Choy exhibits his delicate yet convincing vocals. The lyrics are thought provoking, while the synth based sounds pleasantly wash over the listener. Following this offering is ‘No Need To Hang Your Head’, which is a song that offers hope and draws inspirations from acts such as BRIGHT EYES and ELLIOTT SMITH. ‘The Hours’ is then set against a more 70s nightclub vibe/scene, while the polished vocal performance and effects further instills this feel.

‘Bedford Stop’ offers us something different. Albeit slightly ‘cheesy’, again a cinematic feel is explored and a tune with synchronization potential is created. The instrumentation differs at this point as the string arrangement flourishes. The title track, ‘Long Live The Lie’, follows and contains traces of PETSHOP BOYS and WHAM, while ‘Help Of A Ghost’ never really gets going and is effectively a superfluous offering among stronger efforts.

- 36‘Waiting ‘Empty Bottles’ and On A Breeze’ close the album out with a hopefully exuberance. Although not the strongest tracks on the album, there is still value and certainly merit in including them amongst this collection of electronic productions. At times some of the samples and timbres used are quite generic and to be expected. But at the same time BIG PHONY must be applauded for broadening his musical horizons and stepping outside of his safety zone.

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THE BUDDA CAKES Telescope

Review by Greg Clifford

Gon von Zola, better known by his stage name The Budda Cakes, is a German/British musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, who has resided in London since 2005. The artist cites St. Vincent, Arcade Fire and Wings as having inspired his work and classes their genre as ‘edgy, catchy indie pop’.

‘Telescope’ sets the album in motion, as surreal lyrics akin to David Bowie and Robyn Hitchcock ensue. The Budda Cakes are clearly interested in cosmic and extraterrestrial forces. It is admittedly refreshing to hear something that catches you off guard and breaks away from the usual pseudo-love cop out subject matter. However, something about the ‘Google Earth’ lyrical reference strikes me as cringey. ‘Alien Love’ continues the intrigue the group conjures up. Again the lyrics are against the grain and grab attention. At points during the opening measures of the song (particularly before the first chorus) it feels as if the singer is trying to superimpose syllables into spaces where they rhythmically don’t fit, resulting in something essentially rushed. However, this looseness creates a certain charm, while the chorus begins to grow on the listener.

‘Never Let Me Go’ opens with big piano chords akin to some of Maroon 5’s early releases before an unorthodox love themed song unfolds, in which the singer displays his reverent anguish. This won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but is certainly a quirky offering.

‘Universal’ further

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consolidates the group’s style and approach. Aspects of ‘Jack’s Dead’ reminds me of Robyn Hitchcock and Syd Barrett’s alt jangle pop. There are subtle comedic elements beneath English eccentricity and melancholic depictions. ‘Fortune’ is then presented in a whimsical, innocuous folk style.

‘Walking Home’ opens with ethereal tones before the song sets off in a quirky fashion with touches of the Barenaked Ladies on show. ‘Not Alone’ is a modern take on the conventional ballad as von Zola almost performs the role of a vaudevillian. It’s like an amalgamation of David Bowie and Elton John. The lyrics deserve special mention once more, as he creates pensive, poignant, yet inspirited scenes with the chorus of the song driving home the sentiment. ‘Bicycle’ has an almost acid like nursery rhythm quality! This is bizarre, but I find myself engrossed in its unpredictability, as the composer confides that he ‘surrender(s) to the power of the bicycle’.

This is great. And I don’t say that in anyway sardonically. It exerts some of the beautiful naïve 60s lyricism that was prominent before life made us cynical and pretty much critical of anything that doesn’t fit into selfperceived norms.

‘Love? Now What?’ follows and is pretty much a philosophical ramble - 36 based on the why of life and love. If one truly listens to the words they will find themselves connected and sympathetic. Real musicality is on show here, as anguished electric guitars are juxtaposed with soothing piano and backing vocal pads. ‘Oh Summer’ brings the enigmatic proceedings to a close. I was suspect of what I was being exposed to initially but as this album unfolded I found myself succumbing to the LPs wit and quaint playfulness. This is an enjoyable album that has audacity in abundance.

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TRENDLASER Oblivion

Review by Greg Clifford

Trendlaser, of Los Angeles, cites acts such as The Beatles, Nirvana, Alice In Chains and Pink Floyd as influencing his output. Setting the wheels in motion is the mercurial ‘Some Say Love Is’. It kicks off with an atmosphere of trippy space rock and electronica akin to that of French artists Air, as the groove heightens anticipation. The lyrical insight that is offered at the beginning of Verse 1 is however underwhelming and altogether ‘stoner’ pubescent: ‘Some say love is just a game / Win or lose its all the same / Whether you’re a player or being played / Who the hell cares as long as you’re getting laid’. Though, for all its pseudointellectual lyrical shortcomings, the music on the surface is pleasing and will appeal to fans of raw 60s DIY approaches and aesthetics ‘Along The Way’ contains traces of pre Brit pop elements. Although the artist means well, the track fails to excite and wanders rather aimlessly against a plug in sampled drum kit. Not that I wish to get too hung up on lyrics, but the obvious, childish rhymes do irritate and lessen the tracks creditability. ‘You Better Think Twice’ then opens interestingly with interwoven guitars and synths, before a track comparable to The Coral unfolds. ‘r U’ has a more 80s space rock approach, while the sporadic changes will divide the opinions of the listener.

I question is the artist truly in control of the material here. At this point, being as objective as I can, this album is effectively complied of ideas, musical sketches and demo tracks. In the biography of Trendlaser he states the album is self-produced. This title of producer can sound quite trendy and accomplished, but it can also indicate that an album will sound cheap in terms of its form and mix; in this case it’s unfortunately the latter.

‘I Wanna Rock’ and ‘The Other Side’ deals with similar erratic elements and a soundworld that

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grows in no shape or form. The vocal delivery is however at times similar to Peter Perrett of The Only Ones, which reminds me of a band I dig. ‘Got A Job To Do’ and ‘A Thought’ are lo-fi audio experiences and as a result sound out of place, in this regard, on the album. These tracks could really have benefitted from a mixing and mastering engineer as both tracks meander without a purpose. Up next is ‘The Living End’, or as it is called on soundcloud ‘The Living End mp3’, which is an unprofessional slip up. The vocal is far too muddy and lacks clarity. Due to this, the diction of the words is inhibited and suffers. Vocal timbre aside, the content at times is quite appealing, as some of the musical motifs sound derivative of The Doors.

‘You Got The Best Of Me’ then amounts to very little, before the eclectic ‘I See A Stranger’ attempts to salvage this rather destitute and decadent collection of samey tunes. ‘Oblivious’ brings proceedings to an audacious close. The first minute of the track is a hypnotic whimsical instrumental that offers a silver lining. Subtle layering is applied as the track gathers agreeable momentum. However, what seems to be a generic, plug in drum loop cuts across in a way that scarcely makes sense. On the surface it sounds proficient, but is fundamentally guesswork and allows the technology dictate where the track goes, rather than the ‘musician’ understanding the shape, direction and theory involved in making these decisions.

This album is a pure product of the modern age whereby technology and the recording software becomes cheaper and easier to use. The technology can coax one into their next move. The technology realizes itself through the human, rather than - 36 the way it should be.

Not- that I wish to be a crank, but as a result there is more low quality clutter in the music world. I am aware I’m, borderline, being too harsh here, and will certainly not ignore the fact that music, and the making of music, is exciting, therapeutic and a form of escapism. I am by no means an advocate of this dude packing in his efforts, but would suggest he seek some advice for his next release in terms of mixing, production and mastering to avoid a demo-like quality and to help remove the wayward direction of the material.

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International Acts OCTOBER DANCE Group Pleasure

The opening grace of ‘African ANTHEM #1’ is a rich synthesised affair. It is steady and the electronic elements come to pass in a way that nurtures that sense of completion in a steadfast way. It is contained in an upright manner which befits the astute calling in a reliant way. You somewhat sense a sleight of hand that borrows from Madonna’s ‘Material World’ in the undertone when ‘Tina Weymouth’ plays. It is a rich retro affair. Here the pace is checked in a sturdy way and that picks up excellently when the vocals come through. Essentially this sounds the part and holds up under the expectation in a brilliant way that is incredibly hip.

With an unrivalled sense of flair comes ‘High School’. Again the steadfast motion of the rhythm adds a checked sense of balance that the handling carries across with the synthesised touches. But it is the confidence that comes through which moves it in the right way. It gives it volume, texture and shape in excellent measures throughout and the scope holds it in a thorough way. That is then followed up by ‘Rouge’. This is a tune which savours the retro appeal and you are taken along for the ride in a complaint way. The relevance of the electronic elements add a textured grandeur that holds with such distinction that you have to admire everything about it. Nothing is out of place here.

That level of consideration results in a truly excellent track for all the right reasons. Things are closed out with ‘African Anthem #2’. You sense it is more of an experimental approach if anything because the synthesised calling is one that relies on a high level of expression as compared to the other three tracks which created a sense of identity for the band.

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VERITÉ Echo

A lot of good artists are coming to us through our New York music network and here is another artist who underlines the quality of musicians that we work with. ‘Strange Enough’ is an effort that moves with exactness in the way that the synth manages to score it. The vocals also occupy a suitable solitary trait which accentuates the appreciated nature of how the tempo moves. It is a fine opening effort with the right balance of style meeting substance. Showing a great deal of potential is ‘Weekend’. This is caught dead on from how it is laid out and also in how it picks up. It has a catchy side that brings to life the mainstream calling of the track, while there is a commendable fluidity that the styling seems to build upon with a clever sense of notoriety.

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Then comes ‘Echo’ and this has a dependable development.

The synthesised calling of the first two tracks is replaced by a distinctly more mature offering. Yet there is nothing about it that loses anything. The appreciated way that the playing branches out is a rich affair with a stellar demeanour savouring every facet of the creative calling in the process. The remarkable calling of her final track ‘Heartbeat’ is a grounded effort with a real showing of true class that brings everything through. The handling is brilliant and underwrites her aspirations in how it clicks into gear. The intelligence of the lyrics also bear down well on the breakdown and give the movement a highly stylised vigour that is impressive.

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JYLDA Jylda

‘Brainchild’ begins everything by growing out of an innate fluidity. The opening chord structure adheres to ‘three blind mice’ and simplifies the calling. The clean way the progression collects then extolls a knowing upbeat derivative that adds a quantified sense of appraisal upon the layout that is comfortably administered. That handling steadily carries it all through here and is relayed cleverly. Building in an expansive way that is highly procedural is ‘Stuck In Change’. The broader calling here captures a notable shift in direction and the bigger presence counts here.

Synthesised beats are also cleverly held in the running and that captive quality alongside the rich demure of the vocals steadily comes to pass. It is arranged in a way to highly benefit from the impeccable playing ability on show.

Again there is a definitive showing about everything with ‘Bogus Mornings’ denoting something formal and quantified about the bolder feel of the approach. This is ably concentrated in the showing here and the precise way that it brings the stylish elements together accounts for that heightened sense of appreciation on show. Retaining those ornate sensibilities but also incorporating a heightened sense of development in the process is ‘Ghostride’. The departure in the style shifts everything considerably well while also retaining the identity of the band. Also carrying through neatly is the carefree style of the vocals which are a rich showing here for all the right reasons. It is far more than a tidy by the numbers affair and the intricate level of musicianship picked up on underlines this on account of how detailed and precise the delivery is.

The final track here is ‘Tepid Illusion’ and is a fitting closing number. It slows things down and takes the clever way things have built to an equally determined conclusion. It could be considered a calculated anti-climax in a way because the patient stirrings steady the tempo and gradually drop the pace of the rhythm, yet they lose none of the credibility in the process either.

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ANIMAL SCIENCE Animal Science

Opening with a highly progressive salvo is ‘Bells Of New London’. This steady and moot contemporary approach is rich in stature and the lasting feel of the tune holds over it in a precise way. That exerts a calming influence over everything in the later progression that is incredibly relevant and noted for it all in a considered way that derives from an inspired origin. Hanging off the back off an EDM rhythm that takes The Pogues' ‘Fairytale Of New York’ as its iambic template is ‘Ghost Train Lullabye’. In a lot of ways this feels plagiarised but it doesn’t when you assess it on its own merits. The tempo does follow that by the letter yet there is a clean conjecture on show here that works to excellent effect.

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Things close out with ‘Hope To Regret’.

The tapered ebb and flow richly condenses the direction of the sound.

The chaste quality that is also prominent in the vocals narrows the direction of everything here to a foregone showing that is evidently rich. That is able to rise with the temerity of the passive calling to heighten the appreciated touches in the right way.

OPHITE

Basic Mistakes The robust nature of ‘Basic Mistakes’ opens proceedings with an undoubted level of confidence.

That grabs you in a highly encouraging way. The commendable projection of the groove rides in tellingly and the exuberant flair of the tune naturally clocks everything into gear. This is a worthy opening track and one that allows the uninitiated to fall in love with the band from the off. Taking a punk sensibility to heart and channelling that approach correctly is ‘The Catacombs Of Happiness’. The leaner calling has a calculated weight placed upon it here which comes to pass in the hardened trajectory but steps off it in a way so as to let the controlled approach balance everything smartly between the vocals and the charged pace. Not just cool in name, ‘Somebody Take Me Surfing’ backs it all up with a formidable calling to it on all fronts. The casual demeanour factors in the compact qualities alongside the seamless steady quality of the vocals. A neat affair all the way through that smartly catches everything in the right way from how it confidently lingers.

Getting straight down to it all is ‘The One In My Head’. Things have a heightened alternative appreciation to them in the sleight of hand that it opens with and it then reverts back to their more refined identity. The rich texture of the playing abounds in the control of the rhythm and holds in a quickened way that takes shape in an appropriate way that is evenly distributed. Piquing in an interesting way is ‘My Pretty Columbine’. The acoustic fervour is a rich process here that cursively tilts the direction of the EP in a noted way that offers another listening alternative. Proceedings close out with ‘Phoenician Sailors’. This has a sheltered charm to it that appropriates alongside the latent reggae sensibilities.

How it all rolls is easy to admire and adds a noted allure in a tidy way. This supple number is a very absorbing addition to the running and confirms the diversity of the track list.

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THE LUKEWARM The Lukewarm

As the tidy affair that is ‘Gone’ gets underway there is a knowing derivative in the looming fervent tempo that opens it all out in a competent way. Brought through with a telling sense of resolve are the additional playing elements which carefully construct a noted cinematic derivative in the showing here which collects intelligently by design. The refined characteristics are knowingly confirmed with the thoughtful considerations of ‘Blue Dreams’. In the lyrics is a noted reflective side that is highly detailed. The depth if the considerations in that regard preside over affairs with a deftness of touch that is enchanting.

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The indie sensibilities come to pass on ‘With You’.

There is a passive lead on the delivery which gives it a noted pull. As this begins to step out the impartial sensibility holds to fine effect in the affirmed acquittal of the showing as a whole.

Interwoven in the fabric here is a solid sense focus to it all that knowingly builds it up. Denoted by the consummate hold in the soft calling is ‘All The Time’. As the entwined sentiment floats across you warm to it for all the right reasons. The level of scope brings it all into focus and this holds evidently throughout. ‘LEM’ seems to display a more rambunctious necessitation to the elaborate way things carry across. The spry temperament of the tempo is a neat inclusion.

That allows the safer calling come to pass before the hardened progression brings forth a more sullen calling that accentuates the feverish feel of the delivery. It is an inviting effort and one that calls upon a telling understanding and appreciation for the parlance at their disposal here.

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BIANCA LOVE Shady Sunrise

Our India based music network put us onto this fine artist towards the end of 2014 and her voice is a calling that she ably brings to bear on the opening track ‘Homegrown Blues’. How it is all laid out is a truly sophisticated affair.

Touches of class are evidently felt in how it all pushes through. It has class written all over it.

The same goes for ‘Slow Jiving Soul’. Hints of a roadhouse calling are adhered to the running in a deft way. With the layered showing of the rhythm commendably suited to the way it all runs there is a true showing of class to her here as an artist in her own right.

With the calling of jazz, ’Southern Avenue Swing’ is a very attractive number. The settle virtues are carefully considered and they open it out in a highly attractive way. The timely feel of the running adds a looser calling but that is also backed up by the lyrics with the intentional maturity that filters through. Her hardened style comes to pass with notoriety on ’16 Roses And A Shot Of Whiskey’. This busies itself upon the delivery in a highly steady fashion. The clean hold of the blues allows the hooks to meander through in a tidy fashion but one that is also carefully laid out. As the careful saunter of ‘Temporary Lovin’’ filters through there is a deft feel to the urgency which harnesses all of the attributes in a compact way. Her voice is another hardened trait that adds an additional showing of class as everything begins to add up and shape the tune. All in all, this is a sound that you would expect to come from an American artist on account of how invested she is in the process as a whole.

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DANGERMAKER Light The Dark

With our co-op in San Francisco featuring in our SONAR feature last month, this is another recommendation from our music network on the west coast. Opening it all up is ‘Something More’. There is an ornate calling on the intro which teasingly opens the track. That is then followed by a lean showing that is somewhat light and by the numbers, but holds in a deliberated way and corners the right sense of balance and sentiment in the way the music is expressed.

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Especially in the calculated weight of the delivery and it is then followed up by ‘Holy Ghost’. The reflective showing of the lyrics gives it a finite level of depth which picks up in a good way. This sees the concentration of the rhythm process the catchier side with aplomb, and that is what helps it to confidently coast along.

The third track here is ‘The Light’ and this is the best of the trinity. The opening itself has an intricacy in the way it is tracked which comes to pass as the tempo moves up a gear and it takes flight. Things hold to a refined formula but it all connects neatly and the projection exudes a noted confidence that is specifically effective.

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MALKA

The Constant State Caked in glory is the best way of summing up this EP which comes highly recommended to us via our New York network. Things get underway with ‘A Flock Of Crows’. A hard gilded tempo forms in the rhythm here which is tellingly brought through as the blistering showing turns on the style in a big way. It is a solid tune with glaring guitar riffs extolled in a way that fires it all up as they play through with clear abandon. Then we have ‘For Now We Live’. Here there is a heightened sense of development to the way that music is carried through. It is not the high sense of innovation that comes to pass here that you admire them for, but there is a bold structure to the playing that accommodates the expansive reach in a way that is necessary and captures the innovation superbly.

They also make up one of the editor’s choices on our 4x4 this month with ‘Mientras Se Respira’. This tidies away a shoegazer apparel that is remedial and rich in structure. It is just brilliant from start to end.

The specifics of what they are about when they engage in their endeavour musically shows with ‘Wolves And Sheep’.

The relativity of the lo-fi tracking brings a sullen overture through which is processed to caress those bereft qualities.

It is kept in a constant state of flux and this is in neat contrast to the predominantly upbeat ‘Diamond Girl’. The foray of artistic integrity shows in the overarching structures that develop an intricate instrumental soiree that is a delectable wall of sound indeed. Then the pursed vocals chase it all down alongside the procedural manner of the indie chic. It is an attentive number with strong alternative leanings that are incredible. Another tune follows with an incredible strength of depth called ‘Corazon Sin Sangre’. The determination and focus come together in abundance. What that characterises in the showing here is nurtured from the delicate showing of the sheltered side of the performance which sees them embrace the musical side of things thoroughly and express that approach in an equally clear manner. ‘Swoon’ is another great effort. What is occupies in terms of diversification counts considerably here. It is an attentive effort with a reserved showing in how the vocals are delivery. Gently brought through, it seems to harbour slight Bowie manifestations in part. This potential is seized upon and gives the lightened flight a confirmed sense of stature in the process.

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HECTOR BIZERK

The Fish The Never Swam A telling reflection of the healthy state is the Scottish music scene is the latest EP from SXSW bound band Hector Bizerk.

As a live band they push the boundary and here this is encapsulated here in all the tracks. Getting us started is ‘Skin And Bone’. The immersive hip hop traits that they have shepherd the way this is all deliberated. The charm offensive sees things right and goes a long way. A more solid offering is ‘Festival Boy’. Here the apparel about it is somewhat colourful and calls upon a dabbling funk derivatives and other musical genres. The chorus is something that also gets down to the task at hand in a serious manner.

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Third track ‘Rust Cohle’ darkens the mood. Somewhat sombre in a negated way, the moot feel of the tempo throws down exceptionally well here with the lyrical narrative. This is really impressive stuff. Perhaps it can be interpreted as taking one’s responsibilities seriously but ‘Best Man’s Speech’ takes itself seriously as a tune. Blessed with a curmudgeon of sound that sees afro-beat, trip-hop and other influences combine to great effect this is something that really shows what they are all about.

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MANNEQUINS ON 7TH STREET Superblue

A candid allure seeps through on opening track ‘Who Are You’ which denotes a clean sense of demure from the vocals. What is relayed in the sunken attributes of the synth based hooks linger in a way that touches on the sublime hint of notoriety that commendably comes through in the passive showing. The inviting way it tantalisingly holds together is the making of it here and reliantly calls on the neatness of the Avant Garde touches here. ‘In Two’ is a superb tune that develops their sound in the right way. This has hints of an alternative leaning in the structures which resides alongside the richness of touch that the tempo cleverly processes.

That latent calling is felt through in the appreciation of the relativity of it as a whole.

Cleanly embracing a chic tone that situates a settled retro calling is ‘Out Of Sight’. The clean manner to how it is all processed accentuates the lo-fi sensibilities on show with a digression in the tracking that is highly positive. As the rhythm saunters through you take to administered allure in the right way because it is developed with a subtle nuance that embraces the expressionist side of the band. After that comes ‘Paris’ and the ethereal reach gives it a pronounced calling. That situates tellingly among the textured feel of it as it begins to steadily pick up. A very rich calling is cornered in that regard and heightened by the way the vocals fasten to the delivery. The last track here is ‘Free From Real’.

Taking the time to build allows a consideration to fall over the play. This blankets the sound in a neat sense of appreciation which is then further enriched by the indifferent showing of the vocals. As the conveyance collects in the spatial qualities it finds a level of release that is confidently structured and relayed accordingly in the peaceful playing strides that come to pass so openly.

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FIONA GREY Belladonna

There is a proactive justification for opening track ‘Diva’. This is not just noted in the lyrical content but in the hardened way that things pick up. The maturity of the performance flows with a heightened sense of determination that is mindful of a knowing sense of rich artistic integrity from how it credibly accentuates the volume on show. Pinning something of an obscure pop effort toward an alternative leftfield showing is ‘Barbie Tonight’. The high pitch of the vocals draws you in. A closer analysis shows the clever dynamic in the workings. The accentuated touch that the performance centres on is highly developed and the arrangement also accommodates a broader sensibility that achieves what it reaches for. It is on ‘Coastal’ that the impressive level of integrity comes to pass. This is a tune with a noted sense of completion but in the dreampop chic it displays a telling sense of intelligence. The somewhat marked retro calling presides over it with noted splendour that can all be attributed to a high level of design at work.

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The apparent stature of ‘Over The Border’ opens with a smart hint of Tex Mex Americana which follows through in the rhythm. The closeness of the running brings an intimate 60’s revisionist vibrancy that sits right on it and carries it through with a noted sense of slick authority. That is what gives it focus and the reach is developed further by the intuitive way it is justifiably pitched. The lead single off the EP is ‘Beauty Queen’. In the fanciful strengths of the play there is a heightened sense of appreciation which comes through in a forthright way. That sees the pop calling of it right and brings it all through accordingly. The final track here is ‘Confessions Of A Pop Star’. An ornate effort in terms of how it opens before the earnest conviction spills forth in a noted way. The ease of the flight is carefully considered and accommodates the deeper commitment of the lyrics admirably. It is a big number and it shows a true level of credential in all the right places.

PLAGE TARA

Whales Of Syracuse ‘Mischief Harmony’ is a full on ensemble affair that embraces a rich and noted sense of build in how the overtures come to pass. The broad calling cleverly builds the presence in a way that implicitly calls upon a fine standard through and through. Second track ‘Out Of Sight’ is a delightful shoegazer affair with a high standard displayed in the way the rhythm takes off. The commanding surge of pace electrifies the running and gives it a deliberate high standard that corners all of the focus in a commendable way. With ‘All Good Things’ there is a hardened edge to the sound which is kept within reach in the brooding presence that shows in the steady and abject way the tempo runs through. It is gloriously withdrawn which adds a certified touch of class that harnesses the nouveau values of the New Wave chic at its core.

Then things step out with a formidable and quantified degree of excellence with ‘Keep On’. The vibrancy of the shoegazer style invigorates it in a telling way.

There is also feel to the way it is all handled and this gives the accentuated showing a more opine presence that accommodates the noted weight of the retro chic that is also stowed away. They touch on amore noted progressive side with ‘WE’. That comes to pass in the anomic styling. From that the resonance of the whirling guitars wail out and work through with great effect. With that remedial distinction cleverly hanging over the running the sedate calling is impressively noted for all the right reasons. On ‘Light Wave’ things are a more underground affair but with an added hint of bite. Somehow the raw qualities of the delivery take stock of everything and bring a notoriety that weighs in considerably well in the condensed elements which add some real distinction from their underrated calling. The final track here is ‘Je Me Souviens’ and this differs from how it develops. You sense a layered appreciation the expanse which patiently builds. Just as it opens, the EP also closes out with a highly stylised track.

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DARREN MCGRATH Distant Light

We have The Scouse House to thank for this recommendation from Liverpool. There is a hint of Americana on show with opening track ‘Burning Like Fire’. That brings a grandiose degree of scope to proceedings that rises in a fortunate way.

Another interesting trait here is the contemporary calling that the treatise vocals seem to illicitly feel comfortable with and it holds with a sense of innate virtue that is highly developed in an artistic sense.

What crosses over on ‘When You Call’ is also a conclusive calling that draws sternly from the way it is all considered. The condensed nature is a combination of the condensed lyrics and sheltered vocals marrying expertly to find the calling that the track deserves.

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How the virtue of his voice presides over ‘Be Mine Forever’ sees a darling sentiment come through.

There is an intricate and passive side to the sing that is endearing. Here this is a quality that is caught in a realised way which commendably provides it all with a telling sense of worth that comes through in the emotive and reflective side of the tune with telling effect. With ‘Let’s Go On’ there is a temerity that resides in the performance. It keeps things on the right track but it is a demure effort that holds to that without actually developing anything in a noted way. But it is a steady number that retains the artistic integrity in the way it values the play. The EP closes out with ‘Distant Light’. The dawn chorus on the opening imbues it with a bucolic sense of worth that is relevant. The way it plays out is rather select. A prevailing sense of intuition is also factored into the build here which necessitates the neater callings and the sparse nature which finds a formidable calling in the vocals.

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AS THE CITY RUMBLES UNDERNEATH Prophecies

A favourable opening track lays down a fine marker with ‘Under The Sun’. It epitomises all of the qualities that made ‘Flowers From The Stars’ the fine effort it was. How this track sits extends the offering from the Canadian duo in a pertinent way. The EDM aspects of the sound are fluid and projected in a way that necessitates the relativity in the gravitas that is contended with in a shapely manner from the off here. The free motion of ‘Someone Like You’ glorifies their pop sensibilities. This is an excellent tune that is carefully weighted and everything that takes hold in the flight captures not just the essence off the tune in the retro vibrancy, but also the spark is there and captures the essence of the artists at work here.

Holding in a more vacant way is the awning of the intro to ‘On And On’. Pouring forth is a noted sophistication that moves it all in the right way. It is a safer affair that corners a more sedate showing in the way it is arranged.

Building on a more devoted calling and sensibility is ‘Magic Takes The Form Of You And I’. This sees a befitting approach leverage telling precedent on the arrangement which accommodates all of the intricacies in a noted way. As to the remix by Tep No, that itself is a rather resolute affair which keeps everything contained within the margins of play in a devoted way. ds. Just as it opens, the EP also closes out with a highly stylised track.

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THE WAVE Idiot!

An aggressive trait neatly builds in the first instance on the opening track ‘Lovebite’. This then takes off in a way that is sharply felt. The raw attributes are matched by the right showing in the warmth of the unbridled channels of the rhythm. It holds with a clear level of distinction which busies itself in the way they dip into this as a calling. After that comes ‘By Myself’, which is another hasty affair. The scatty pick up in the rhythm accelerates in a way that lands the taut qualities upon the delivery in a direct way. The punk skit to this energises things in a way that commands the pomp and stride to greatly bring it all through.

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The expectant calling of ‘Duran Duran’ gives things a charming appeal. Lyrically the astute notion conjure up a sense of romanticism that is a brief number put packs a lot in. the same goes for ‘Suicide Pill’. Although this cuts straight to the chase and goes all out, this is a punk effort in every sense of the word. Be it the flawed poetry in the lyrics exciting the right sense of brilliance to the off-kilt draw of the tempo, everything on show wears its heart on its sleeve here.

THE TIDES Full

What a great opening tune ‘Electric’ is. The solid degree of confidence that is displayed on all fronts is superb. The vocals are excellently pitched, while the unbridled flow of the rhythm in the tempo surges along with a reckless abandon that takes no prisoners.

This has a certified anthemic calling which clicks into gear as soon as the first chord is struck with absolutely no let up here. How things line up on ‘Bang Bang’ become liberated by the commanding way it moves.

The sensible way this is eased in allows them turn a corner expertly which sees the leaner attributes met head on. After they drop out and come back in you note the integrity for all the right reasons. This is where the band find their calling and has indie written all over it.

Tidier in terms of the subtlety permeating in the beat is ‘Hold On’. Akin in a charming way to how The Cure could process that as a calling this abundantly loses itself in the music. Then it becomes fired up with a calculated calling which never sells anything short as it lets it off the hook. This is raw but cooked in the right way. The last track is ‘The Weekend’. Again there is a noted sharpness to it all as it takes flight. But it also retains that indie identity in the lyrics. Shades of an Arctic Monkeys influence are also picked up in the indulgent quality of the lyrical narrative but it is something that adds a richness of touch to how it all sensibly comes to pass.

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THE ISABELLES Yours & Mine

The opening track ‘Small Stone; has a progressive salvo about it that embraces the unbridled flourishes of the guitar work in an inspired way.

Adding to the zest and appeal is the apparent comfort of the vocals. There is an edgy quality about the rhythm but the music comes through with clarity and you also appreciate the focus because it gives it a lay psychedelic flourish that richly gets down to the task at hand with noted totality through and through. With ‘She’s In Pictures’ the orchestration of the intro develops the necessity of the arrangement carefully before they go all out with the play. A rotund sense of conviction stirs the rhythm here and the reckless abandon is an astute feature that develops in a way which boxes clever here.

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Then they go further with ‘Beat On The Brat’.

This is brilliant. The off the cuff feel of the rhythm gives it an unapologetic punk stirring that is superbly considered on all fronts. How this gets down to business sees then trade on a noted level of cool that very few bands are capable of having the luck to call their own. It is a strong tune and you sense that calling in the dynamics of the delivery is there by design. They again let things off the hook with ‘Colourtex’.

That unbridled passion is a high octane derivative that smashes the guitar and drumming combo together as a complete tour-deforce that lands a true knockout kick to proceeddings. The smart and fashionable way they cut loose is kept in check and runs in a solid manner form start to finish confirming the greatness of the punk statures on show

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International Artists KID ASTRAY

Still Chasing Nothing Off the back of an excellent calling this takes flight in a secure way. The neat way that the heightened appreciation is called out adds a degree of certification that draws comparisons with Passion Pit. That strength of indie pop credibility is apparent and the way it checks in implicitly feeds the righteous calling of the sing through with an immediate grandeur which deliberates over everything in a superb manner.

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DISCO PUNKS Tie Me Up

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Here is an excellent tune with a token kitsch about it that is both highly inventive and intelligent.

But more importantly it is of the band’s own making and affirms their sense of identity in their music. The way the rhythm bounces along off the back of the innovative approach accounts for a lot, as does the appreciation as retro innovation present in the dynamics of the inventiveness of this band. As debut singles go, this suggests a band with a lot of the right potential.

International Artists

STRANDED MERMAID

No Bloodshed Allowed As the Ennio Morricone inspired intro plays through you are drawn in by the attractive approach to being innovative. It is backed up by a commendable approach that takes account of everything in the right way. The worth of how it is all worked in carries this off with a noted showing of impeccable class. That the bold approach works in such a lavish way gifts the contemporary showing an elegant sense of grandeur that defines it all through the artistic merit on show.

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TANDEM FELIX Comma

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From how the title hangs off this as it plays it is nothing short of a real gift of a tune. The temperament of the delivery meets with an essence of cool that is outlined in the way it plays through. It has a noted degree of worth that elevates it along with the backing of the apparent substance tracked in every aspect on show. The nuance of the harmonica lightly add lights it up as it is deftly applied. The soft facet of the vocal performance is another fundamental trait that traipses through on this in a highly presentable way.

BLOOMS Fall

We have become ardent fans of this artist in the last few months and her latest offering is another fine example of why. Lingering pop sentiments come to pass with a degree of subtlety alongside the relaxed and sheltered calling of the ambience. That is what endears here in a noted way in the volume of the ebb and flow. How that nurtures the ornate qualities of her vocal range furnishes everything here with the essence it so richly deserves. Innovative tunes like this don’t come around too often.

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THE DEAD HEAVYS Liquidator

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Surging along on the back of a readied calling that meets with an air of confidence on the back of the delivery is the latest offering from one of the finest bands on the Irish circuit. The sharp way all the aspects come together expend upon this a dependable notion of real vigour. In the texture and the prominent way it fixes to the running they seem to steal a 60’s revisionist touch in the right places.

This is what seals in the class of the tune and suitably proves the makings of it all the way through.

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ORCHID COLLECTIVE Figure It Out

International Artists

Here is an astute little number with a robust feel about it that charms you in the right way. The favourable turn of rhythm in the breakdown catches everything just right, while the neat purveyed feel of the vocals adds something that is incredibly rich in texture. In the telling way that everything happens to come together you appreciate the tidier aspects for how they are able to get behind it all.

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OTHERKIN Ay Ay

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This is a tune that plays like good music should be. Signalling the intent is the sharp way that the guitars resonate and this imbues it with a telling formidability that happens to illicit the right balance between energy and sway. The energised chorus joyfully brings it all through and that clear sense of abandon is one that is embraced with the right degree of notoriety that great bands possess when they let it all off the hook.

PRINCESS

Black Window / Sick Ties

International Artists

This double A-side form one of the most promising bands on the Irish scene at the moment showcases a great deal of potential. The porous feel of ‘Black Window’ has an underrated charm to it that is found in the offbeat breakdown. That holds in a compact way as the delivery is processed with the commanding outline of the guitars gnarling away dominating the running in a contented way that is fashionably hip before pulling away to a more determined calling. Second track ‘Sick Ties’ has a dainty meander to it as well that denotes a lighter touch at work. But it develops things exceptionally well here and the maturity in the breakdown makes it the better of the two as well.

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YOUNG WONDER Intergalactic

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Fleshed out from the intro, the development of the tune slowly progresses and it is carefully administered. The lightness of the arrangement allows something subliminal to take hold in the figuration that is rich and bold in equal measures.

From the vocals there is an appreciated texture and that is an endearing quality that necessitates the telling way it all moves.

FRANKO FRANKO Slow

From the brisk whistling on the intro to the grounded feel of the guitar work, this is a noted tune for all the right reasons. The tight and taut control of the tempo adds an appealing kick which is rather kind and displays a comparative sense of groovy that is incredibly slick. That is consistency on show here and really shows what this band is made of.

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THE CRASH REPORT The Nation

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A tune that hits the ground running, the confirmation of the weight behind the play is what gives it a telling sense of gravitas. That is a calling which suits the way it is styled.

There is an inviting determination that pushes the track through and, in doing so, seems to illicit a demanding stature that is highly faithful and relevant in equal measures.

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DAVINA BRADY AND THE MESSENGERS Taste Of Lies

International Artists

You fall for this song with the commendable ebb and flow of the salvo on the intro. It is a clean cut affair with a high standard on show form how it is all arranged. Her voice also chases it all down in a focused way which takes time to steadily build but steers everything through with a demanding presence to it all. She pushes it out in a way that neatly considers her vocal range and the natural depth her voice is capable of calling upon from her own ability is a telling feature to her as an artist and adds capably to the music here. This is a very smooth tune indeed.

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FLOWER JACKET

Everybody Knows

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Here is a great tune that steps out confidently. In the clever way that the kitsch qualities come to pass there is a charming degree of innovation displayed. Skipping along in a charming way is the tempo here and this is far from a casual affair. Sharing the vocals also adds an additional layer that comes unexpectedly yet also steadies the way this one runs. Overall it is an effort that hangs of a lightness of touch which exerts a demeanour that draws you in by how it plays to its strengths.

THE MODESTS Deathcycle

International Artists

With how this Glasgow band plays out they bring the rock back to Scotland. Here the tune is locked and loaded from the off. The appealing way that it galvanises the approach keeps telling sense of the real at the fore of the delivery. The lean calling of their play is borne out of a grounded approach. That prevails in the way that they deliver such an unbridled pitch with this effort. It is fantastic.

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NIAMH CROWTHER Origins

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Her voice is the first thing that you pick up on here. She displays an impressive level of conviction with how it filters through. Ably accompanying it here is the piano arrangement. That then contains all of the playing elements in a noted way and the face value of everything comes forth seamlessly. There is a delicate consideration to it all which works by design and is a telling trait here for all the right reasons because it is where the inspiration finds its calling.

MAGIC MOUNTAIN Berlin

As the synthesised grandeur of the intro falls away a steadfast New Wave stands before you that is deserving of your attention. How the tempo gathers on this cuts to the chase.

Something raw is fused to the delivery which is exacted by proxy in how the sedate nature of the vocals meet with the sharp keel of the running here. It is a transition that is high in texture and warranted urgency as it all peels away.

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THE STONE THIEVES Red River

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Picking up the pace in a settled way there is a degree of belief to the showing here. In the lyrics there is a neat calling. It is how the two come together that keeps the tune moving in a kind way. It is an admirable effort, if somewhat tame, but it seems to hold to a remedial style and it doesn’t lose anything necessarily for doing so.

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MOTORCYCLE DISPLAY TEAM The Laughing Cavalier

International Artists

Here is a great tune that is delivered with a heightened sense of confidence. The demeanour of the lyrics is colourful and rather highbrow which adds a telling degree of the fortunate upon proceedings. Also adding considerably to the mix is the noted way it filters through in the hardened aspects of the play which more than hold their own as they come to pass prominently.

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BLADES CLUB Asian Babes

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From the noted way that the tune opens there is a paramount sophisticated touch ion show. This is readied in a quantified way that is highly elaborate. It seems to invoke a clever raw cut that seeps through in a way that is advantageous in how it is managed.

Guitar licks sauntering through with reckless abandon also ease their way through in a way which lifts it magnificently. Here is a tune with a magnificent sense of closure which is projected in the tighter manifestations of the way it is all called through.

JEKYLL

International Artists

Here is a track that has a lot influence owed to Muse you feel from the morose inspirations that come to the fore. They place a considered emphasis on developing the contemporary aspects. This is relayed in the sound with a positive sense of abandon that turns it on in spades. That derelict quality that comes round in the showing is one that has a pertinent ideal which channels the narrow focus among the wider scope of the sound to very good effect here.

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LORIS Yeah

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In some ways this has a formulaic appeal which shows. However, where it moves forward from that approach is in the direction of the playing arcs of the synth.

Here it scores things two fold. The realised way it does so is invested in a smart application that carefully considered. That develops the showing in the beat to good effect and is comprehensive to an extent without overwhelming the delivery.

PUPPET REBELLION Watch Me Fall

This Manchester band is fast on the rise on their home scene and here is a tune to show why. Bolstered by the concise way the urgent calling is staged and mastered brings it all through. This is reflected by the enamoured showing as the play is leaned into and that calling is comprehensive here. With the weight behind the playing bringing the right balance of indie gives the process a stirring sense of credibility that adds up.

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THE JUVENILES Help Me Out

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Here is a great little tune that turns on the style. In a way you could compare this to The Charlatans because it has a tidy demeanour that is rather chic but also incredibly and indie.

That is a kneaded quality in not just the sound but also in the dynamics of the vocal delivery. Things have a rich conveyance which is helped by the controlled way things hang back with a noted hint of indifference that proves rather becoming as it handsomely takes shape.

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ALEX FOX

Holy Smokes

International Artists

With a vocation that is called upon in a becoming way from the virtuous way that this is diligently laid out there is a bespoke quality that compels the delivery. It seems to hold in an earnest way with the resolve of the piano arrangement looming over it in a lingering way. That seems to pull it in the right direction and compensates for the shortcomings that are present.

Yet where it gets a fine calling is from the maturity that holds so tellingly here.

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RACE THE FLUX Go! Dive! Aah!

8

Here there is a galvanised sense of being in the way this opens. In the taut progressive side there is a noted maturity which holds in a consummate way throughout. That develops the intensity of the sound allowing the vacant trappings to formulate in a way that adds purpose. In the way the dynamics are projected all of the alternative callings are seized upon in a highly realised way from the off and carried through with the pensive styling.

DOPPLER Railroad

International Artists

There is a sparse quality that contains all of the calling of this track in a straightforward way. But the appreciation then continues to further the delivery in a noted way. The outline of the delivery calls upon a contemporary showing that is highly affluent in terms of innovation. The languished turn of the styling here tellingly curbs the enthusiasm in an alternative fashion which retains an anomic virtue that arrives in an inviting way. That singularity in the sound develops things in an unfamiliar way and the reach is an excellent one in the process.

8

STEGALL

Predator

9

With the strong and assertive desirability of the intro behind it this grows in stature immediately. The urgency is laid out. Where and how that quality is located is of telling consequence and underlines why they are one of those acts that are living up to their potential. The vocals also have a grounded and smart calling to them that is made possible by the intelligent way things are chased down on the delivery here and checked in the process.

THE FLAWS As the catchy guitar riff takes hold the tempo develops in reasoned way. This is contained in the nuanced flourishes which show in the smart way it is all directed. The neatness abounds with a confident shouldering as it is all driven on. Yet it is contained in a fluid way that steps out commendably well and doesn’t feel uncomfortable either in how it goes about achieving this. It also has a noted temerity in the vocals that is highly appealing and adds more to the appeal in the comfortable way that they come across in the showing here.

9

DEUX FURIEUSES

The Party Of Shaitan

9

You are grabbed by the underground kitsch of this song. It is a tremendous calling and one that is fastened to the raw sensibility of everything here in a shapely manner. The way it deliberates over everything leaves its mark but also shows how much bite this has. This is an energetic, raw and, above all else, effort that keeps it very real by putting the music in the spotlight for all the right reasons.

46---61

This is the March 2015 4×4. It is an editor’s pick of four videos by four artists selected from four of our music networks. At U&I we work with 95 co-ops across 49 countries and the music network that the recommendation comes from is indicated in brackets.

THE DODOS (San Francisco)

MONGOOSE (Dublin)

BLACK TAXI (New York)

MALKA (New York)